|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to Bet Sage's
Online Gambling News Section, featuring the latest breaking
gambling industry news courtesy of
InfoPowa
News. This is your
one stop source for all
and any of the latest
developments concerning
all aspects of the
Online Gambling
Industry. InfoPowa News
headed up by senior
partner Brian
Cullingworth
are recognised as one of
the leading and most
respected independent
gambling news services
in the online gambling
industry.
|
|
|
|
| 10 AUGUST 2007 : HEADLINES |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cashcade Buys OnlineBingo.co.uk and Think Bingo
UK bingo portal OnlineBingo.co.uk along with free bingo game Bingo4Free has been purchased by Cashcade, the owner of Foxy Bingo. In a separate move, Cashcade has also purchased BVI-based Independent Technology Ventures, owner of ThinkBingo.com, Bingo Scotland and Think Bingo Plus.
OnlineBingo.co.uk, a major UK site for the game owned by Herotech closed the deal with Cashcade this week.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Man and Alderney acceptable, but not others
According to a British government "white list" issued this week, gambling companies licensed in jurisdictions such as the Isle of Man and Alderney are acceptable as UK advertisers, but others - including the Canadian Alexander First Nation, Tasmania and Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles - are not.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Following the British government white list, there may be some re-registering.....
Online gambling companies affected by the release of a "white list" of acceptable licensing jurisdictions whose licensees will be permitted to advertise in the UK (see previous InfoPowa report) were quick to react to the announcement.
The consensus appeared to be that re-registering in acceptable jurisdictions would not present insurmountable problems, whilst operators with Kahnawake and Antigua connections continued to hope that their jurisdictions would be approved by the DCMS.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One thousand gambling websites face advertising ban...
A [British] Government crackdown on gambling adverts from jurisdictions that don't meet the UK's strict regulatory standards will lead to about one thousand gambling websites being banned from advertising in the UK.
Regulations to be laid in Parliament today [August 9] use new powers in the Gambling Act 2005 to ban gambling adverts from companies operating outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The move means that some popular gaming websites will not be able to advertise in the UK from September 1st 2007, when the Gambling Act comes into force.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Betting companies to confine kiddie shirt sponsorships and obey advert curfew
The British gambling industry appears to have reached agreement with government on new restrictions on gambling promotions, according to a weekend article in The Observer newspaper.
When it comes to replica football hero shirts for children, the industry has agreed that betting company branding and logos will not be included in the design, and on the advertising front it has been accepted that radio and television advertising will be restricted until after 9 pm at night, although there are exemptions for Premiership games.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remote Gaming Association joins other British trade groups in compliance
On and offline gambling trade associations have given support to a voluntary gambling industry code for socially responsible advertising developed jointly by the associations for the United Kingdom.
The code, which supplements the principal advertising rules produced and administered by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), sets out a number of key principles and offers advice to gambling operators to assist them in producing socially responsible advertising.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Republican Congressman describes UIGEA as "an outrageous affront" to personal freedom
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has thrown his support behind Congressman Barney Frank's legislative proposal to regulate and license online gambling in the United States, according to official Congressional sources.
Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act has been steadily gathering support and if adopted will largely neutralise the controversial Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed last year, which prohibits financial transactions with online gambling companies except those involved with horserace betting, fantasy sports and state lotteries.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand government gives Christchurch Casinos seven months to shed online gambling operations
Bad news from the New Zealand press over the weekend is that the Kiwi government Internal Affairs Department has required land casino operator Christchurch Casino to exit the online gambling market within the next 7 months.
The Dominion Post reports that all bets are off for Christchurch Casino's online operations, which include two online casinos, poker rooms and online bingo venues. The company has been given 7 months to extricate itself from online gambling after the Department ruled that this form of gambling breaches the country's Gambling Act.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Players and affiliates go to detective mode on 32 white label sites
This week saw an extraordinary volume of irate online player and affiliate exchanges over some 32 ostensibly individual online gambling websites which carried games from the respected turnkey provider Microgaming.
Such a high volume of 'new' operations from a top of the range provider that usually launches quality rather than quantity when it comes to online casino and poker room operations was bound to attract attention sooner or later, and this one certainly did after one of the owners started posting on the Casinomeister online gambling information portal.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bringing skill game firms together
Skill-based game provider companies FUN Technologies (Skilljam.com) and King.com have partnered to form a new trade association for skill gaming companies titled the Interactive Skill Games Association (ISGA), appointing attorney and former Director of the California Division of Gambling Harlan W. Goodson as its President.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sky Poker Partners with the Poker Project
Multiplatform interactive poker room Sky Poker is stepping out of the television studio and into the British pub by partnering with one the UK�s largest pub poker leagues, the Poker Project.
Through the partnership, Sky Poker and Poker Project will work together to provide players in pubs across the UK with a fun and entertaining evening in which poker fans will be able to compare themselves with other poker players by earning points through quality of play, which will in turn provide them with ranking within a league. As part of the league Poker Project players may have the opportunity to appear live on Sky Poker Channel 846.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
T-Mobile player Cellectively gambles up GBP 25 000
With the accelerating expansion of mobile gambling it was only a matter of time before the big wins started to surface, and this week saw one of the largest to date from the Cellectivity mobile gambling channel as a T-Mobile user collected GBP 25 000 after a hectic session on video poker.
The big win comes hot on the heels of another lucky GBP 20 000 win, this one on mobile roulette, through the same channel.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fortune Lounge and All Slots jackpots hit
It's been a profitable week for at least two online gamblers, with big jackpots reported won at All Slots Casino in the Jackpot Factory group, and at Fortune Lounge.
WendyR picked up some major money when she hit the Major Millions progressive jackpot for $695 965 and some change at Fortune Lounge. Her win was all the more remarkable because only a week prior she had the good fortune to pull a $49 545.82 jackpot on the King Cashalot slot.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mahjong Time.com accepted as sponsor
The Mahjong craze is about to go up a gear in Europe with news of the first ever online Open European Mahjong Championship, which Mahjong Time.com is to sponsor over September 8-9 at a venue to be advised, following an agreement with the European Mahjong Association.
The format of the Online tournament will be based on the land version, with three rounds played on the Saturday, three on the Sunday and the top four players then competing in the seventh and final round to decide the Champion. Each round consists of 16 hands or 90 minutes of play, whichever comes first.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Politicians slow down new legislation's progress
Legislation introduced to the South African Parliament aimed at regulating online gambling (see previous InfoPowa reports) following an extensive international study of the phenomenon has run into opposition from some members of Parliament.
In Cape Town earlier today (Wednesday) several Members of Parliament (MPs) protested as the National Gambling Amendment Act was introduced to the trade and industry portfolio committee by Fungai Sibanda, the acting Director General of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CFO takes command
Taiwan-based GigaMedia Limited has announced the appointment of Thomas Hui as President and Chief Operating Officer of the company with immediate effect.
Hui has served as the Chief Financial Officer of Giga for the past three years - and will continue to oversee the company's financial functions in an interim capacity until the appointment of his replacement.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Storm wave is biggest email attack on the Internet in years
Be careful of those emails with breaking news or e-greeting card attachments which are becoming increasingly common and could bring more grief than information or good wishes. Researchers are reporting huge volumes of virus-laden material arriving in email in-boxes everywhere.
Information Week reports that the chief culprit is the Storm worm, which has apparently grown into a prolonged online siege 10 times larger than any other e-mail attack in the last two years, assembling a criminal botnet of nearly 2 million computers that researchers fear may be used for extortionate Distributed Denial of Services assaults.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AIM launch goes ahead on schedule
The anticipated launch on the London AIM of Irish spreadbetting company Worldspreads (see previous InfoPowa reports) went ahead on schedule this week, raising GBP 5.77 million through a placing at 47p a share. The issue valued the company at GBP 19 million, providing funds for expansion.
WorldSpreads was formed in Dublin in 2000 and opened a London office in 2005. By March this year it had a client list of 1 936, and in the year to March, the company generated revenues of Euro 6.58 million and reported an operating profit of Euro 530 000.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recently listed spread betting firm chasing two debtors
One of the interesting declarations stemming from the recent AIM listing of spread betting company Worldspreads was reported by the Irish publication Sunday Business Post over the weekend.
Worldspreads is currently in litigation to recover over Euro 1 million from 2 debtors, the report reveals.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fraud management a priority at Gibraltar-based gambling group
The major online gambling group 888.com has improved its fraud defences by joining the anti-fraud group Ethoca Limited, which pools data from its partners in order to help them screen out fraudulent transactions.
Ethoca tracks information between companies processing remote transactions by Internet, phone, fax or mail.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ex Isle of Man regulator in charge at Betluck
The much respected ex Isle of Man online gambling regulator Bill Mummery starts a new career this week in charge of the Asian-targeted sportsbook Betluck.co.uk.
Licensed in the Isle of Man, Betluck went live this week and is offering sports and prop bets mainly to the Japanese market.
Mummery said that the new venture will take bets on all popular sporting events, together with more general and community oriented wagering, giving as an example bets on the the first date on which Chrysanthemums bloom.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wireless casino system expands operations for well established Fortune Lounge brand
Mobile gambling provider Spin3 has announced that Royal Vegas, an online casino in the Fortune Lounge group, has launched a mobile casino using Microgaming�s GamWire wireless system. The Royal Vegas Casino will now be accessible through WAP site wap.royalvegasmobile.com.
Matti Zinder, chief executive of Spin3 said: �The deployment of Royal Vegas� mobile casino further strengthens Spin3�s position in the provision of wireless casinos for successful brands.�
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poker wins despite anti gambling bureaucracy
Judging by reports in the Asian media and through the Associated Press news network, tournament poker is coming to China despite gambling being officially frowned upon in the country.
The reports reveal that World Poker Tour Enterprises is about to sign an agreement this week with the China Leisure Sports Administrative Centre.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$3 million investment for first crack at 'traktor' tournaments
Earlier reports that the World Poker Tour has clinched a poker sponsorship deal with Chinese authorities (see previous InfoPowa report) have been confirmed.
World Poker Tour Enterprises head man Steve Lipscomb signed the accord, which involves a five-year sponsorship and marketing deal with CLSA to help promote a Chinese 'national traktor tour'.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poker legend will play in Europe WSOP, too.
American poker legend Doyle Brunson will be a big attraction at both the European World Series of Poker (see previous InfoPowa report) and the launch of his Microgaming Poker Network online poker site Doyles Room.com next month.
Brunson will be heading for London in September to play at the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe and to promote the launch of Doyles Room.com in the United Kingdom and Europe.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Experts show how age verification technology has progressed
In a press release this week, the pro-online gambling pressure group Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative reprised opinions voiced by experts recently at a Congressional hearing on Barney Frank's bill HR 2046 seeking to regulate the pastime in the USA (see previous InfoPowa report).
Age-verification technologies are effective according to many experts, who believe that regulation can establish a framework to block minors from gambling online in the United States. The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, legislation introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), would require licensed Internet gambling operators to put protections in place to prevent minors from gambling online, the release reminds readers.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Versatile online gambling group adds another arrow to its operational quiver
Probably mindful of the valuable legislative carve-outs the sector enjoys in the United States, Calvin Ayre's enterprising Bodog Entertainment group has announced its entry into the market with the launch of Bodogfantasy.net, an eye-catching fantasy football site that offers premium scouting and stats, live scoring, and extensive customisation, absolutely free.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poker Stars victors an international mix
The World Cup of Poker organised by Poker Stars.com is nearing its grand finale, with eight 4-man international teams left in the hunt from team entries that totalled some 75 000 players.
The eight teams will travel all expenses paid to Barcelona at the beginning of September this year to contest the semi finals of the Poker Stars World Cup of Poker and a crack at the $250 000 prize.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Entre to the world's biggest poker tournaments for online player
They say it takes blood, sweat and tears to make dreams come true. But for one online poker player last Sunday night, it also required a computer and an internet connection.
A Texas Hold'em player using the 'handle' CUTIEPI314 on Absolute Poker placed first in August 5th's Dream Package online poker tournament, securing a prize package that gives him a crack at over $100 million in Texas Hold'em tournament prize pool money.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PPA hints on turning the Congressional recess to advantage
Former Senator and Poker Players' Alliance chairman Alfonse D'Amato knows his way around the Washington political calendar, and this week came up with some interesting ideas to turn the autumn recess of the US Congress into an opportunity for online gamblers to let their representatives know how they feel about online gambling regulation.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 days to distribute $7 million in prizes as top online poker competition kicks off
One of online poker's biggest tournament series has started rolling this week with the 5th Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) offering a total prize pool of $7 million spread over a series of competitions and 12 days of action.
First up this week was a $500 000-guaranteed tournament hosted by World Poker Tour champ and author Phil Gordon. The buy-in was set at $200+$16. Following that, a $200+$16 H.O.R.S.E. event featuring two-time World Series of Poker $50 000 H.O.R.S.E. final tabler David Singer. Players compete for a $150 000 guaranteed prize pool starting.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poker returns disappoint in latest interim report
Online poker operations at Ladbrokes, probably due to an increasingly competitive European business environment, disappointed investors when the e-gaming division of the gambling group released its interim six month numbers to the end of June this week.
Poker net revenue fell GBP 2.7million to GBP 15.7 million in the face of stiff competition in the UK and Scandinavian regions as active player numbers fell 15 percent to 422 000 and yield per unique active player fell 10.6 percent to GBP 144.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unknown Poker plans to produce video reviews of online poker sites
The online poker review site Unknown Poker.com plans to turn to the free video-sharing portal Youtube.com to better broadcast its material.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Players and affiliates go to detective mode on 32 white label sites
This week saw an extraordinary volume of irate online player and affiliate posts over some 32 ostensibly individual online gambling websites which carried games from the reputable turnkey provider Microgaming.
White label sites usually carry the games of, and are administered by the main licensee of the software provider, leaving the owner free to market the venture.
more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| PREVIOUS NEWS ARTICLES... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|