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Welcome to Bet Sages 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 leisure based wagering
activities on the internet.
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| 23 FEBRUARY 2007 : HEADLINES |
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Canadian and UK employees axed
Neteller plc continues to feel the consequences of US legislative and enforcer activities this week, and has announced that it plans to cut 250 jobs as part of its withdrawal from the US market.
The Isle of Man based e-wallet firm said 220 jobs will go at its operations in Calgary, Canada, and a further 30 will be lost in the UK. The job cuts will reduce Neteller's total workforce to 425, substantially down from a peak of 1 000 last year.
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Stock Exchange regulations stipulate that suspension of shares cannot exceed six months
The Isle of Man e-wallet Neteller, which suspended its shares from trading on the London AIM Exchange earlier this year following the arrest of two of its founders and major shareholders could be faced with pressures of time due to stock exchange rule 41, which imposes a limit on the length of time shares can be suspended.
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With a dollar potential of billions, more care is necessary to prevent problem and youth gambling on cellphones
The problem gambling help organisation GamCare wants to see mobile phone companies more involved in responsible gambling initiatives according to reports in The Times and IGN this week.
With massive potential, some of it in online gambling, the mobile global entertainment market is already estimated by Juniper Research to be worth around $17.3 billion, with substantial growth prospects.
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The prescient publication of future lottery winning numbers raises eyebrows in Canada
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation was in defensive mode this week after an astonishing disclosure on CBC News that the lottery body had put up a website which contained the winning numbers for its Millionaire for Life draw....which is only scheduled for February 28!
Senior corporate affairs manager for the WCLC, John Matheson was the company man left trying to explain the seemingly crystal ball publication, claiming that the website was a test page that should never have been on the web in the first place. Matheson emphasised that the website did indicate it was a February 28 draw, even though the numbers appeared on February 17!
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Spain's online gambling market is expected to grow to Euro 4.2 billion by 2010
Dublin-based Research and Markets says the Spanish gambling market - including the online sector - is the place to be, with the potential to grow to Euro 39 billion by the year 2010, according to its latest report "The Spanish Gambling Market - a Key Region for Future Growth".
Online sector growth to Euro 4.2 billion by 2010 is forecast - an increase of 240 percent over current levels.
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Jackpot Factory group celebrates award of another "Play It Safe" seal from player protection body
The Jackpot Factory group has announced that its VIP Lounge Casino operation has received accreditation and the distinctive Play It Safe seal from online gambling standards and player protection body eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance.
eCOGRA is the independent standards authority of the online gaming industry, specifically overseeing fair gaming, player protection and responsible operator conduct. Recently, the organisation released its findings in the largest and most comprehensive global study report on online gambling that was conducted with Nottingham Trent University.
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FTOPS III closes in style with $4.4 million in prizemoney distributed
Enhancing the weekend online tournament action this week, the ten day, 10 event Full Tilt Online Poker Series III steamed past its guaranteed $3.4 million in total prize money by a comfortable extra million following strong popular support for all events, and never fell below the guarantee level, with event 7 actually overtaking the guaranteed mark by a factor of four.
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Online information portal has developed an entertaining way to learn a great game
Is it time to up your blackjack game? The online casino portal Online-casinos.com has come up with an entertaining and efficient way to achieve just that....and it's for free.
Blackjack can be one of the most intriguing and exciting games around, but if you struggle with the rules and nuances it can be extremely frustrating. There are so many different strategies, tips and books out there that its difficult to know where to start, especially in today's rushed lifestyle.
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Confusing communications from leading US online poker site
Creating some serious confusion among players and industry observers alike this week was a press release from the PR company supporting the respected Doyle's Room.com poker site.
Given credibility by the recent announcement that it's Tribeca network was closing to US players, Doyle's release announced its imminent departure from the US market, disappointing thousands of players who had hoped that the venue would find a way to continue servicing the considerable US demand for honest poker games.
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As Doyle's Room backs out of the US, Full Tilt reportedly fills the vacuum
Perhaps triggered by transfers of Doyle's Room poker players across to Full Tilt Poker.com with full priveleges, the rumours are currently rife that Full Tilt has acquired the US operations of the popular poker site by outbidding rival Bodog.com. There are also reports that Doyles Room player accounts are currently being transfered en masse to Full Tilt Poker.
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Antiguan authorities call on payment processors to surrender funds for supervised payment to players
Ushering in a potentially positive situation this week is a press release from the Antiguan licensing authorities announcing that settlement of accounts by the online gambling website, BetOnSport (BoS), is to get underway shortly. The Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) of Antigua and Barbuda has apparently stepped in to assist and supervise BoS (Antigua) Ltd's efforts to settle debts.
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DGN gains from Microgaming's loss
Poker network operator Digital Gaming Network (DGN) has added BetonUSA.com to its list of licensees, benefiting from the site's departure from the Microgaming Poker Network.
It is not yet clear why the poker site left Microgaming for DGN.
DGN recently acquired Dobrosoft, its software provider, and signed up the high profile Full Contact Poker site fronted by Daniel Negreanu when Ongame backed out of the USA.
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Another success for the Grosvenor U.K. Poker Tour
The Grosvenor U.K. Poker Tour juggernaut continued to attract major player attention over the weekend with its second leg tourney in Walsall, UK, earning winner Jerome Bradpiece, who qualified for the tourney online, a very nice GBP 121 600 payday.
23 year old Bradpiece is from London and has been on the pro player side of the business for the last eight months. He went into the final table with a significant chip lead and showed both skill and aggression in maintaining his dominance to the end - a brief but sharp three hand, head-to-head clash with runner up and fellow online qualifier Billy Ngo.
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Big names and big reputations continue to sign up for inter-city poker spectacular
The inter-city poker extravaganza "Poker Bowl" hype is growing, and the team lists promise a feast of fast moving action at the event, which is scheduled for May 1 to 6 and will take place in Las Vegas.
The latest news is that the youngest player every to win a World Series of Poker bracelet, Jeff Madsen, is to join the Los Angeles team together with Brandon Cantu, Gavin Smith, Theo Tran, Joe Cassidy, and Joe Sebok.
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Extra-territorial Internet gambling legality issue to be heard in Supreme Court of Appeals
The South African online gambling legal scene is warming up this week with news that permission has been given for a key civil case to be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeals in the judicial centre of Bloemfontein. On Thursday 8th February, in the High Court of South Africa the Honourable Judge Hartzenberg granted Piggs Peak Online Casino leave to appeal an earlier November ruling.
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Online poker site finds a new home after Tribeca pull-out
In earlier bulletins InfoPowa reported on the imminent US pull-out of the Tribeca Tables network, which was acquired by turnkey provider Playtech last year. The withdrawal has placed several of the network's sites, including Doyle's Room, Golden Palace, Straightflush and Poker Host on notice that their US days, at least with Tribeca, are numbered.
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Another payment option closes its doors to online gambling
Canadian online gamblers who use the FirePay e-wallet will be scrambling to mobilise their funds following a surprise notification from the company just before the weekend.
The online payments processor has now extended its ban on US online gambling transactions to Canadian consumers, according to an on-site notice this week.
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Talk on the London market boosts online gambling shares
Online gambling company shares listed on the London market received a brief fillip this week as talk circulated that a US Congressman could be about to challenge the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed in October last year. The Act targets for disruption any online gambling financial transactions and has had an adverse impact on the American online gambling market.
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US-hosted crooks trying to con Party Poker players
Crooks using a US-hosted server are attempting to con Party Poker players into disclosing their personal account details in a phishing scam warns the Australian security vendor Websense today.
Party's site is the most widely used online poker venue in the land of Oz, reports the security company, and it has become the target of a global phishing scam.
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Mummery to join unidentified e-gaming company
After two years heading up E-Gaming regulatory development with the Isle of Man government, Bill Mummery has decided to return to the private sector where he will take up a senior appointment within the e-gaming sector.
Minister for Trade and Industry Hon David Cretney MHK wished Mummery well in his new career, commenting: The last two years have been very dynamic for the industry and Bill has made a valuable contribution to developing the Isle of Man as a premier jurisdiction, with world leading companies locating here.
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Technology will help merchants lock out American online gamblers.
Third party payment company eGold has announced that it is to use technology to prevent US players from using its financial facilities in online gambling transactions as a result of the US Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act requirements.
In a move to comply with the Act, the company has added a software option for all merchant accounts that will prevent gaming companies from allowing US account holder payments.
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An embarrassing third party screw-up
Spokesmen fromUK gambling group Ladbrokes had the embarrassing duty of explaining to outraged players what went wrong with a Chinese New Year promo that turned an email shot into a bombardment of epic proportions this week.
Players were dismayed to find not one, but over 50 of the colourful but irritating emails in their mailboxes, mostly telling them amid the remains of a broken fortune-cookie that they were a "loser." The bombardment appeared to have continued on the half hour for over 24 hours, delivering the deluge of fortune cookie emails.
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Going all-in with a vengeance
The confidence and grit of professional poker players was on display this week in a high stakes confrontation between poker stars Phil Ivey and Finland's Patrik Antonius when the two gambled on three $100 000 plus pots in under an hour.
Playing heads up in the final showdown of a $300/$600 No Limit Texas Hold Em game, the two went for it with a vengeance with massive pots at stake on three occasions.
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Constitutional fight flares up in the land of Oz
In an article by respected legal writer Burke Hansen this week The Register reports on the legal battle between the international betting exchange licensed in Australia last year, Betfair and the provincial government of Western Australia, which is trying to impose its own draconian legislation
Hansen, a lawyer in San Francisco says that over a year of acrimonious finger pointing between Western Australia and the UKbased Betfair has escalated into a fullfledged constitutional challenge by the betting exchange against a law that recently went into effect in Western Australia outlawing betting exchanges (see previous InfoPowa reports).
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When a crisis of this proportion hits, players deserve to be better informed
InfoPowa's unsuccessful attempts to obtain answers from embattled e-wallet Neteller to straightforward U.S. player questions regarding their frozen funds were echoed this week in an editorial piece written by the Canadian webmaster of portal Major Wager.com, Hartley Henderson.
After three weeks of getting the brush-off from Neteller and its PR machine, the remarkably patient Henderson has gone to press with a valuable article which records the whole Neteller debacle from the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to the present uncommunicative position of the Isle of Man based e-wallet, which is currently in negotiations with US Justice Department officials amid fears that it is disclosing private and personal information about its American clientele.
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Neteller insiders start to spill the beans
Whenever a company "re-engineers", "re-structures", "downsizes" or any of the other euphemisms that means people are losing their livlihoods, there are leaks and this week the Neteller situation in Calgary was no exception.
With well over 200 people getting the chop, affected employees started to make anonymous disclosures to public information sites, some of which warned their readers off further dealings with the e-wallet, referring to it as a "...crumbling company."
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These Winner333 players are definitely not....
Located in Spain, Winner333.com is powered by Global Power Gaming group out of Bucharest, Roumania and has attracted the ire of several players who still await payment of winnings, in one case of an amount in excess of $20 000.
Neither the online casino or its software provider are well known, but the bonuses looked good, and inevitably excitement got the better of caution and research, and players gave the place their business.
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"Online gambling is a growing problem," says FBI agent
A television station in Boise, Idaho published some FBI thoughts on Internet gambling this week in a report which superficially covered the continuing popularity of online poker.
Describing the growing poker trend, the KTVB reporter said it was Americas hottest pastime in which the digital age has "...put poker back on top of the world."
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Full Tilt bonuses for player who join the Poker Players' Alliance
In a move to boost recruitment for the Poker Players' Alliance the Full Tilt Poker.com site has informed its members that they can get up to a thousand dollars in bonuses if they sign up for the poker advocacy body.
In an email to members, the site encouraged enrolment in the PPA and suggested that it was time for poker players to react over the recent crackdown on online gaming sites by the U.S. Government. The letter, in part, reads:
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Great synergy between new UK land poker room and its online sister
The cross-marketing synergy between land and online gambling operations is clearly at work in Nottingham, England where the final preparations are being made to the 46 table Dusk Till Dawn land poker room due for launch by gambling entrepeneur Rob Yong in April this year. The cardroom is being hyped as the largest in Europe and is already attracting media attention.
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New gaming terminals mimic games of chance typically found in casinos, using bingo as a guise
South African newspapers are reporting that new casino-type gaming terminals in Gauteng province bingo halls are mushrooming in an unregulated way, posing a threat to the limited payment machine industry, Parliament was told this week.
Unlike the limited payment machine industry, these casino-style terminals had no limits on stakes or winnings and jackpots were permitted, Limited Payout Machine Association SA chairman Elias Mphande told the national council of provinces' select committee on economic and foreign affairs.
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Organisers take the safe road....
Moving with the spirit (or lack thereof) of the UIGEA times this week was Harrah's Entertainment, organisers of the World Series of Poker, which has received vast support from the global online poker industry in past years. The Vegas betting giant has decided that logos and advertising of some dot.net sites will no longer be allowed at the key event.
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Good progress in first three months under new management
The Gambling Portal Webmasters Association, a professional organisation focused on improving professional performance and ethical conduct in the webmastering sector, has announced that it has reached a milestone this week with the award of the 125th "Approved Portal Seal" to a member website.
In making the announcement, Steven Corfman, GPWA Fair Gaming Advocate, stated, "It has been wonderful to see the program grow so rapidly since its launch less than 3 months ago. Players are looking for sites they can trust, and honourable webmasters deserve to differentiate themselves from rogue operators.
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New design at Online.CasinoCity can give you the latest info
The popular Casino City gambling information portal has been extensively updated to better provide online gamblers with region-specific information on where they can play, the group announced this week.
Michael Corfman, CEO of Casino City said: "Staying on top of the changes in the online gaming industry is a huge undertaking requiring continuous monitoring and reporting by a dedicated news and research staff. In fact, we contact every online gaming site on an ongoing basis to find the list of countries and states from which they accept players and the deposit methods they use. We do this simply because it is the information our visitors need to know."
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Speculation that British Chancellor will announce Remote Gaming Duty
The Telegraph carried encouraging news this week that Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown will announce plans in next month's Budget to encourage the online gambling industry to be regulated and licensed by the UK Government.
The Telegraph reports that the Treasury has long had its eye on the potential tax revenues that are generated by the likes of PartyPoker, 888, Ladbrokes and other gaming companies that are based in Gibraltar and other offshore centres.
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Partnership with Finnish company is designed to boost services
The UK independent budget airline Flybe has followed the Ryanair example by providing its customers with a new on-line gambling service as part of its strategy to boost ancillary services.
The service will allow visitors to the Flybe website to play games such a roulette and poker through the site. The service, which is in partnership with Finnish gaming operator PAF Group, launches this week.
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But online poker proceeds fell 2.7 percent
Ladbrokes saw profit across its e-gaming operations grow by 13.5 percent last year, the company announced this week, but admitted that poker gross win fell over the period by 2.7 percent.
Blaming increased competition for the fall, Ladbrokes singled out Swedish national monopoly operator Svenska Spel, which launched its own poker operations in April 2006. The FIFA World Cup-related absence from poker sites was a contributing factor as well.
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Boss Media to have a place in infrastructure, too
Expanding online poker network 24hPoker has been making some shrewd moves this week with a deal that will enable it to offer its network player liquidity to some 11 Wagerworks licensees.
The companies have signed a letter of intent which opens the poker network to Wagerworks clients, and makes Wagerworks casino solutions available to 24hrPoker's 25-something members.
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First UK white label for Vegas Wireless
Mobile gaming services provider Vegas Wireless Entertainment (VWE) has licensed the first mobile casino to use its advanced graphics and games, according to a press release from the company this week.
Youretheking.com, operated by UK-based KOTH Ltd., offers casino games such as blackjack, roulette and slots on mobile devices, says VWE President Chris Feges.
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And they have the fastest broadband in the East....
MSNBC carried an interesting report on the popularity of online gambling in South Korea, where government has invested massively in building one of the hottest broadband infrastructures in the world, and certainly in the East.
Wires can transfer data at up to 50 megabits a second, whereas some of the fastest speeds offered by companies such as Yahoo! are around 6 megabits per second. Coupled with high broadband uptake, this facilitates gaming in homes across the country and 17 million of the country's 48 million population make extensive use of the highspeed service.
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New e-wallet has been so widely discussed pre-launch that its debut is almost an anticlimax
London-based Seed Capital Ltd has launched its much discussed new e-wallet service YouTeller in the UK, but surprisingly is showing some reservations about whether its servers can handle the traffic!
Following various publicity attempts on Internet message boards and YouTube (see previous InfoPowa reports) the new venture has already been extensively discussed by online gamblers and found wanting in the transparency department, which may now be addressed following the launch.
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No reasons given, but Virgin boss said to be looking elsewhere in $3 billion project
Unidentified sources have told Reuters, Agence France Presse and the English-language daily, South China Morning Post that the putative partnership between Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Group and Australia's Tabcorp group has collapsed.
The partnership (see previous InfoPowa reports) was said to be worth $3 billion in a joint venture to open a casino in the southern Chinese boomtown Macau. "We can't see that partnership going anywhere," an unidentified source told the South China Morning Post English-language daily. "These things happen all the time," the source said, adding discussions had only been in the early stages.
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Sponsorship hints
March 7 this year will see the advent of the World Online Gambling Law Report and the World Sports Law Report briefings in London.
The organisers have confirmed the list of speakers for the Sports, Sponsorship and Gambling Briefing that will be hosted by London law firm DLA Piper. The briefing will provide an in-depth analysis of the sponsorship market, current and future threats and opportunities and will review the legal and regulatory environment operators are working in.
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