Latest Online Gambling News

 

 

6/23/08 - Lawmakers to vote on suspending the UIGEA

Things are about to get very interesting on the Hill.

Tomorrow, June 24, should see a scheduled vote by the US House Committee on Financial Services regarding H.R. 5767. Specifically, that bill is  Barney Frank's legislation to effectively suspend the UIGEA from ever being enforced.

So, what does this mean?

Well, Democrat Barney Frank sponsored the bill and is also the Chairman of the Committee, so that's a good sign. The bill was co-sponsored by Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, who also sits on the committee - another good sign. As well, the number of Democrats on the committee outnumbers the Republicans.

So, all things considered, one would have to think that this bill has a pretty good chance of passing through this vote.

Read entire article here.

 

6/19/08 - IOC to monitor suspicious gambling

CHINA -- As reported by the Brisbane Times: "The International Olympic Committee has introduced new anti-gambling measures to quash any suspicion about results at the Olympic Games in China - a country that has an annual gambling turnover of $US100 billion.

"But at least one betting agency believes the new rules don't go far enough and described the measures as akin to banning drug-taking, but not testing any athletes.

Read entire article here.

 

6/18/08 - Cort Expects Gaming Resolution This Week

Antiguan and Barbudan officials are hoping that a long-awaited agreement with the United States can be reached as early as this week.

According to Minister of Finance and the Economy Dr. Errol Cort, Antigua and Barbuda and the USA have agreed to extend the hiatus in their World Trade Organization (WTO) internet gambling trade dispute until this Friday.

The last postponement of the dispute at the WTO ran out on 6 June, officially restarting the WTO arbitration process, but Dr. Cort confirmed yesterday that the sides hope to thrash out a bilateral agreement this week.

“We are still working on a possible settlement and we will use this week to see how best we can conclude and effect a settlement in this matter, so we thought that it would be useful to extend the timeframe from 6 June to 20 June, to allow the parties some more time to see whether it is possible to resolve this matter,” Dr. Cort told the Antigua Sun.

Read entire article here.

 

6/16/08 - eCOGRA board welcomes new director

LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The online gambling player protection and standards organisation eCOGRA has announced a change to its 7 person Board of Directors, in which Chris Hobbs, Head of Corporate Affairs at Microgaming replaces Roger Raatgever as one of the Founder Directors of the independent, non-profit body. The other Founder Member seats are held by bwin and 888.com.

Under the eCOGRA charter, the Board currently consists of three Member Directors and four Independent Directors.

The Independent Directors, to whom CEO Andrew Beveridge reports, are solely responsible for the executive control of eCOGRA and the activities of its powerful Seals Compliance and Audit Committees, which test and monitor `Safe and Fair` seal operators and control the award, review and if necessary revocation of the seals.
 

Read entire article here.
 

 

6/2/08 - Native policing of gambling in doubt after online cheating

MONTREAL, Canada – As reported by The National Post: "Confidence in the ability of Mohawk regulators to police lucrative online gambling operations on the Kahnawake reserve has been shaken following the second cheating scandal in less than a year.

"UltimateBet.com, which is owned by a company controlled by former Kahnawake grand chief Joe Norton, acknowledged on Thursday that unnamed insiders had altered its poker software to allow them to see opponents' hidden cards.
 

Read entire article here.

 

5/30/08 - UltimateBet admits cheating occurred

UltimateBet's owners, Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG, admitted Thursday that UltimateBet security had been breached by former employees and accounts with access to opponent's hole cards were used to cheat in high-stakes games.

"Certain player accounts did in fact have an unfair advantage, and that these accounts targeted the highest limit games on the site," said the company in a statement. "The individuals responsible were found to have worked for the previous ownership of UltimateBet prior to the sale of the business to Tokwiro in October 2006. Tokwiro is taking full responsibility for this situation and will immediately begin refunding UltimateBet customers for any losses that were incurred as a result of unfair play."

Read entire article here.

 

5/22/08-  ALC audit shows security risks

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND -- As reported by the Guardian: "A forensic audit of Atlantic Lottery Corporation's workings has uncovered a host of high-risk security issues with the racino at the Charlottetown Driving Park Entertainment Centre.

"But a lottery spokesman said Tuesday concerns have been addressed.

"'We welcome the report (and) we've already implemented close to 90 per cent of the recommendations the report gave us,' said ALC spokesman Robert Bourgeois. KPMG was asked by the four Atlantic provinces that own Atlantic Lottery Corporation to review their operations.

Read entire article here.

 

5/22/08 - UAW plans Atlantic City rally

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey -- As reported by the Press of Atlantic City: "Dealers from at least four casinos will take to the streets next month for a demonstration calling for fair contract negotiations, the United Auto Workers union announced Tuesday.

"The rally, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. June 21, is expected to include Ron Gettelfinger, president of the Detroit-based UAW, and John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest union coalition. Thousands of union members throughout New Jersey, as well as Detroit, New York, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., are being asked to march in support.

Read entire article here.

 

5/14/08 - US Justice Department Names New Attorney in Suit Filed by iMEGA

The US Department of Justice named a new attorney for their defense in iMEGA v. Gonzales, et al, the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association's challenge of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) which now moves to the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.

Nicholas John Bagley is a fairly new attorney with the US DoJ, joining in late 2007. He graduated from New York University School of Law in 2005, near the top of his class and Order of the Coif. He received his bachelors degree from Yale University. Mr.Bagley, who taught 8th grade English in a NYC public school before matriculating at NYU, clerked for Judge David Tatel of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and then Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

Read entire article here.

 

5/9/08 - Onex Corp. eyes Tropicana Entertainment

TORONTO, Ontario -- As reported by Globe and Mail: "Onex [OCX-T] Corp. is ready to place a bet on the U.S. gambling industry, with struggling casino icon Tropicana Entertainment LLC a potential target for Gerald Schwartz's buyout firm.

"Onex has top-end help in its hunt for a gambling deal, teaming up with Alex Yemenidjian, the former president of Kirk Kerkorian's MGM Grand casino empire. The firm is employing the same strategy in another beat-up business, building products, where Onex has joined with Masonite International Corp. founder Philip Orsino to seek deals.

"In gambling, the focus isn't just on the neon and flash of the Las Vegas strip, where the Tropicana is a well-known name in lights, but in more out-of-the-way places. Onex made a bid for Gateway Casinos Income Fund, which runs gambling operations in Western Canada, but fell short in that 2007 takeover battle.
 

Read entire article here.

 

 

5/8/08 - UK Gambling Commission Releases Study Results

In the UK, a study from the Gambling Commission has found that the proportion of adults participating in remote forms of gambling has remained static at 8.8 percent for the year despite the lifting of restrictions on advertising.

The Commission is the regulatory body for all forms of gambling in the UK and the findings came following a national representative sample survey of 8,000 people conducted by ICM research.

Excluding remote participation in the National Lottery, the survey found that only 5.1 percent of respondents had gambled online or by using a mobile device or interactive television in the past month compared to 5.2 percent a year ago.

The study found that Internet gaming continues to be the most popular way to participate at 7.1 percent, which compared to 6.9 percent in March of last year and 5.2 percent in 2006.
 

Read entire article here.

 

5/8/08 - Gaming Giants Join Forces In Three-Year Deal

Software developer CryptoLogic Ltd and online casino giants 888 yesterday announced the successful signing of a three-year contract between the two companies.

This agreement means that 888 will be able to integrate games of their choice from CryptoLogic into their ever-expanding online casino. CryptoLogic boasts over 200 games, from popular casino entertainment to other games such as Sudoku or Bejewelled.

Read entire article here.

 

 

5/8/08 - Belle Rock Entertainment launches multiplayer slots tournament

GIBRALTAR -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Online slots players are in for hours of free fun when gaming giant, Belle Rock Entertainment, launches its first multiplayer slots tournament at two of its online casinos later this week. Aimed specifically at beginners, the US$30 000 Adventure Slots Tournament will be hosted at JackpotCity.com and River Belle Online Casino and will run from, Friday 9 May until Saturday 31 May 2008.

"Multiplayer Slots Tournaments sounds quite daunting, but our event is specifically designed to cater for inexperienced players," said Tim Johnson, Chairman of Belle Rock Entertainment. "Online slots are popular with beginners and we wanted to share the excitement of a Multiplayer Tournament with them. As this is a free tournament there are no barriers to entry and players are in for hours of fun and good winnings as the ultimate winner could walk away with US$10 000 without having to spend a sent."

Read entire article here.

 

4/20/08 - American Players Have Easy Access To Legal Sites

A list of online casinos still accepting US players has been published by PressMyBet.com, allowing those Americans frustrated at the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to seek out their riches legally.

The Act, passed in October 2006, prevents US players from accessing many online gambling sites, most prolifically PartyGaming, whose shares plummeted in the aftermath.


Read entire article here.

 

4/15/08 - Exec doesn't expect online ban to be lifted soon

WASHINGTON, DC -- Although he supports congressional efforts to roll back the Internet gambling ban, the vice president of a poker Web site on Monday said he is skeptical that will happen in the near future.

"I don't want to be a naysayer, but things move very, very slowly in Congress," said Jay Lakin, vice president of Poker Source Online, which is headquartered near San Jose, Costa Rica.

Lakin said he is taking a "wait and see attitude" about a bill introduced last week by Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Ron Paul, R-Texas, that would prevent the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve from proposing regulations to enforce the 2006 ban.
 

Read entire article here.

 

4/14/08 - Official moves to block bet regulations

WASHINGTON -- Regulations to enforce an Internet gambling ban would be blocked under a bill introduced this week by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

"These regulations are impossible to implement without placing a significant burden on the payments system and financial institutions," Frank said in a statement on Friday.

Frank's bill, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, was introduced Thursday and would prohibit the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve from proposing regulations to enforce the Internet gambling ban enacted in 2006.
 

Read entire article here.

 

 

4/3/08 - News analysis of Wednesday's hearing on UIGEA regulations

Let's be perfectly clear here. Wednesday's congressional hearing on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act's (UGIEA) regulations exposed the anti-online gambling law as poorly constructed and nearly impossible to enforce. But it did not kill it by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, Congress sent regulators back to the drawing board with the hopes that they could clean up the enforcement mess that the UIGEA has created.

Read entire article here.

 

4/3/08 - Experts testify online ban won't work

WASHINGTON, DC -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Expert testimony to Congress today offered further evidence that the ban on Internet gambling won't work. Witnesses unanimously agreed that U.S. financial service companies would face serious regulatory burdens in attempting to enforce the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), a law that is not likely to stop millions of Americans from gambling online.

Read entire article here.

 

4/1/08 - Slots Site Launches Fundraising Site for African Aid Project

Two years ago, Slotland.com told their thousands of regular community members that they'd committed to funding an essential development project in Malawi, Africa. A small group of dedicated aid workers asked them for help and they couldn't say no. The overwhelming support of the Slotland.com online community has inspired Slotland.com to continue funding the project and to expand the scope.

Read all about it here.

 

 

3/5/08 - Judge Rules in Favor of iMEGA Online Gambling Challenge

This story is still developing. Gambling911.com is on top of this story as the news broke at 12:15 pm EST Thursday.

The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) today applauded the decision by Judge Mary L. Cooper, of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, granting iMEGA the standing to pursue a challenge of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). This is a significant victory for iMEGA in the case of iMEGA v. Gonzales, et al.

“Granting iMEGA standing is a major victory any way you look at it,” said Eric M. Bernstein, Esq., attorney for iMEGA. “Judge Cooper’s ruling holds that, even with the passage of UIGEA, online gambling is only illegal in states where a statute specifically says it is.”

“iMEGA is very pleased that the Court recognized our standing and the weaknesses in UIGEA” said Joe Brennan Jr., the chairman of iMEGA. “Judge Cooper found that banks, credit card companies and other payment system instruments are exempt from criminal sanctions under UIGEA, significantly undercutting UIGEA’s enforcement mechanism. Her ruling echoes the growing consensus of opinion that UIGEA is a fundamentally flawed statute.”
 

Read entire article here.

 

2/20/08 - US Congress Failure To Act Proves Expensive

The US Department of Justice has turned a minor legal problem limited to interstate horseracing into a major headache on all aspects of remote wagering including purely intrastate betting on horseracing, dog racing and possibly poker.

This is the opinion of Nelson Rose, Professor of Law at California’s Whittier Law School and founder of GamblingAndTheLaw.com, who stated that a decision against the US by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) treaty was not that bad but had been made worse by the American’s unwillingness to change.

Read entire article here.

 

2/20/08 - World Gaming ready to be launched

TORONTO, Ontario -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- World Gaming today announced the imminent launch of WorldGaming.com, the premier online destination for console gamers from around the world to network and challenge one another in tournaments for REAL money. Currently, gamers can sign up at worldgaming.com for a chance to participate in the site's closed beta, as well as an opportunity to win up to $50,000 in cash and prizes!

WorldGaming.com users will be able to meet and compete on all of today's top consoles (Sony PlayStation® 2, Sony PLAYSTATION® 3, Microsoft Xbox™, and Microsoft Xbox 360™). At launch, WorldGaming.com will offer one-on-one challenges and multiplayer tournaments in a variety of games across multiple genres, from first-person shooters like Halo 3 and Resistance: Fall of Man, to the most popular sports titles, including Madden '08, NBA Live, FIFA Soccer and many more – with new titles added regularly.

Read entire article here.

 

2/19/08 - Casino Rewards wins CAP award

LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Casino Rewards/Rewards Affiliates is still proving to be the most trusted and respected casino affiliate program in the industry, walking away with the CAP Awards' Best Casino Affiliate Program at the prestigious black tie event at the Olympia Conference Centre in London last month.

Affiliate programmes from all over the world were nominated in 14 categories. Casino Rewards/Rewards Affiliates was recognized for its efforts in building long-term, profitable relationships for all affiliates, with competitive commissions, prompt payouts, excellent reporting/stat information and a team of helpful staff providing personal levels of support.

Read entire article here.

 

 

2/15/08 - 32Red Mega Moolah jackpot hits £5 million mark

(PRESS RELEASE) -- 32Red has announced that the Mega Moolah jackpot has hit the £5 million mark early at their casino, having promised to make up the difference until the jackpot is won. This news arrives just days after they were awarded their fifth consecutive Best Casino award from the independent casino watchdog, Casinomeister.

32Red is the UK's leading online casino and specialises in providing first-class support, employing and expanding cutting-edge technology and producing leading acquisition and retention offers. Company CEO, Ed Ware commented, "In 2008 we're planning to expand our online gaming portfolio whilst doing what we do best: rewarding our loyal customers."

Read entire article here.

 

2/1/08 - Safe Bet: IRS Won't Get Gambling Winnings

Picked the Super Bowl winner yet? As the game nears, millions of Americans are choosing, and betting on, their favorite to take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy this year.

Many are just friendly wagers -- a dollar in the office pool or a good-natured bet with the neighbor who's jumped on that overcrowded Patriots' bandwagon.

But other football fans are taking the game more seriously and handing over big bucks to bookmakers, both legal and not-so-legal. All these Super Bowl wagers spotlight a persistent Internal Revenue Service problem: tracking and taxing gambling winnings.

Read entire article here.

 

1/31/08 - Regulating Internet Gambling Would Generate Billions in New Revenue for Critical Government Programs

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new tax revenue analysis announced by Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) estimates that regulating Internet gambling would generate between $8.7 billion to $42.8 billion in federal revenues over its first ten years. The findings of the analysis, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, were provided to all Members of Congress by McDermott earlier this week.

Read entire article here.

 

1/25/08 - Online Progressives Awarding Nearly $16m

Online gambling software and games developer Microgaming has revealed that the total prize pool for its Progressive Jackpot Network has passed the $15.5 million mark.

A pioneer in online gambling progressives, Microgaming stated that the prize pool for its Mega Moolah game is inching closer to ten million dollars while three other progressives are nearing two million dollars each.


Microgaming’s Progressives Jackpot Network has paid out over $224 million since it began in November of 2006, turning eleven people into millionaires with more to follow soon.
 

Read entire article here.

 

1/25/08 - UK Responds Favourably To "Whitelisting" Lobby

Minister of Finance Dr. Errol Cort is reporting “favourable” news following a meeting with the United Kingdom (UK) Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe on Antigua and Barbuda’s “whitelisting” application.

Approval of the application would have given remote gaming operators in Antigua and Barbuda permission to advertise their services to consumers in the UK.

But Antigua and Barbuda’s application has not yet been approved.

Dr. Cort led a high level delegation to a meeting with Sutcliffe yesterday to discuss the country's application to the Gambling Commission for “whitelisting” under the UK’s recent gambling legislation.
 

Read entire article here.

 

1/22/08 - Jackpot Factory, BrightShare win awards

Jackpot Factory and BrightShare Take Home Top Online Casino Awards Online casino watchdog Casinomeister confers "Best Casino Group" to the Jackpot Factory and "Best Affiliate Program" to BrightShare
KAHNAWAKE, Quebec -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Jackpot Factory, a leading online casino group known for first-rate customer support and a wealth of games, and BrightShare, the Jackpot Factory's exclusive affiliate network program, announced that they have successfully capped off another great year and received the top accolades in their respective fields at the Casinomeister's annual Meister Awards.

Read entire article here.

 

1/12/08 - WinnerOnline 2007 Year in Review Part I

New Year’s has come and gone and the holiday season is officially over so what better time to take a look at what transpired over the past 365-something days.

January

As 2007 started off, Italy seemed to have a change of heart from its anti-foreign gaming company stance when big name companies Ladbrokes and William Hill were granted licenses to accept bets from Italian customers.

Favored by a TD prior to the game, the Ohio State Buckeyes laid an egg on the national stage as they were upset in a 41-14 blowout loss to Florida in the NCAA’s BCS championship game.

BetonSports continued to show what a classy outfit it was as it failed to appear for an arraignment hearing in a St. Louis court. The company would eventually enter a Not Guilty plea.

Read entire article here.

 

1/11/08 - Realtime Gaming releases 7 new games

Closely following Microgaming’s release last week of five new games, Singapore-based software provider RealTime Gaming has announced the debut of seven games of its own.

Released with little fanfare, a spokesman for iNetBet.com online casino stated that the games consist of five new Real Series slots and two table games. The slots games include Big Shot, Fame And Fortune, Funky Monkey, Triple Toucan and Victory while the table games are European Blackjack and Caribbean Draw with a progressive jackpot.


Although no specific details were available, it is believed that the new games are currently being installed at most RealTime Gaming-powered sites.

 

12/30/07 - Two Experts Team Up For Online Poker Video

Online poker coaching site iAmplifyVegas.com has announced that two legendary players have teamed up to create its latest instructional video, iAmplify Poker University.

Ten-time World Series Of Poker bracelet winner Doyle Brunson has joined University Of Poker founder Mike Caro to create the video, available only at iAmplifyPoker.com. The site stated that the combination of Brunson's legendary instincts and Caro's technical prowess is unique in providing insights and practical moves to give players a sharper edge.

Read entire article here.

 

12/29/07 - Online Trade Deal Comes Up Short

After years of negotiation and dispute with the United States over online gambling issues, Antigua and Barbuda has been awarded only $21 million a year in annual trade sanctions by a World Trade Organisation (WTO) arbitration panel.

The two trading nations had been locked in a dispute over discriminatory practices that excluded Antigua from the lucrative American online gambling market. The island nation successfully fought the US to a standstill with WTO rulings going against the United States. This led the White House to withdraw its gambling obligations from international trade treaties rather than modify protectionist and discriminatory practices on online gambling.

Read entire article here.

 

12/27/07 - Germany to ban online gambling beginning Jan. 1

As reported by Bloomberg: "Online gambling will be banned in Germany as of Jan. 1 after German states ratified an accord that preserves the country's state monopoly for lotteries and most forms of betting.

"At least 13 of Germany's 16 states have submitted the ratification documents, Eric Braum, a spokesman for the Hesse government, which monitors the process, said in an interview today. ``That's the required majority and we expect to have all the rest coming in by New Year's Eve.'

Read entire article here.

 

12/26/07 - News Analysis: Online gambling only real loser in WTO caseNews Analysis

In the end, Antigua's WTO case against the U.S. over online gambling had nothing to gambling on the Internet. Instead, it became a proxy war pitting the politics of trade against fair trade. And predictably, the politics won. It had to win because nothing short of the future of the WTO was at stake.

Big vs. small -- the politics of trade

Antigua was just the second country of its size to successfully litigate a WTO case against one of the world's major economic powers – and that grabbed the attention of the entire world. Countries with small economies were watching to see if Antigua could force a large nation like the U.S. to either open its markets or receive substantial compensation in lieu of opening the markets. Meanwhile, large countries and organizations with large economies – like the U.S. and EU – were worried the Antigua case could set a dangerous precedent and result in a blueprint for other countries to attack them on trade practices
 

Read entire article here.

 

12/21/07 - U.S. dodges major sanctions in WTO case

The United States will be sanctioned $21 million annually for its restrictive Internet gambling laws and regulations, the WTO announced Friday. The ruling allows Antigua and Barbuda to lift certain copyright and trademark protections on U.S. goods and services to collect the money.

Antigua and Barbuda had asked the WTO to impose $3.4 billion in sanctions, saying the U.S. had effectively closed its entire online gambling market to the world by passing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in October 2006 and maintaining that online gambling was illegal. And while previous WTO rulings backed that logic, the WTO's final decision focused on horse racing.
 

Read entire article here.

 

12/11/07 - Online Money Exchange Calls It Quits

 
Online payment processor FirePay has notified members that it will be shutting later this month.

The UK-based service began the process yesterday by announcing that it would no longer allow users to add funds to their accounts or transfer money. The company stated that users now have 150 days to withdraw funds from their accounts or review account statements.


'Effective Monday, December 10, 2007, FirePay will no longer allow funding, spending or payment transactions,” read a statement from FirePay.

Read entire article here.

 

12/11/07 - Antigua eyes big win against U.S. in gambling case

WASHINGTON -- As reported by Reuters: "Antigua and Barbuda expects to receive a big damage award from the World Trade Organization in a long-running Internet gambling dispute with the United States, a lawyer for the Caribbean nation said on Monday.

"'We feel pretty confident about our case, to be honest. We really feel like we have the upper hand here,' Mark Mendel, a private attorney representing Antigua, told Reuters ahead of an expected ruling by a WTO arbitration panel on Friday.

Read entire article here.

 

12/4/07 - Online Poker Site Joins Boss Network

Swedish online casino software developer Boss Media has announced that Britain’s PokerTrillion.com has become the latest licensee to join its International Poker Network (IPN).

PokerTrillion.com stated that it would offer a range of freerolls and tournaments using the IPN along with giving players up to 30 percent rakeback. In addition, the company said that it would subsidise up to half of a player’s entry fee if they used their rakeback to enter a European poker tournament.

Read entire article here.

 

12/4/07 - Online Casino Group Acquires Rival

Swedish investment firm Maria Invest AB has announced the sale of its online gambling interests in Malta-registered Maria Holdings Ltd to Internet gambling group Unibet for approximately $109 million.

Maria Holdings owns domain names MariaBingo.com, MariaCasino.com, CarlosPoker.com, CarlosPlace.com and Bingo.se and Unibet stated that the acquisition was part of a strategy to broaden its demographic coverage.

Read entire article here.

 

11/26/07 - Peter Mandelson Calls for US Regulation

The Trade Commissioner for the European Union, Peter Mandelson, has stated that the United States should regulate online gambling rather than compensate those affected after returning from his trip to Washington, DC.

Mandelson was in the US this week to press claims brought against the White House following withdrawing from its World Trade Organisation (WTO) obligations.


Back in Brussels, Mandelson reported to the European Parliament that the United States should let foreign companies into its multibillion-dollar online gaming market instead of trying to compensate European firms for shutting them out.

Read entire article here.

 

11/26/07 - RGA Applauds EU Trade Commissioner

The Chief Executive of the Remote Gaming Association has applauded statements made last week by the Trade Commissioner for the European Union, Peter Mandelson, regarding America’s policies on online gambling.

Clive Hawkswood stated that Mandelson was right to insist that the US open its online gambling market to European firms and urged the European Commission to keep up the pressure.

Read entire article here.

 

11/23/07 - Gaming's New Frontier: Nevada Treads Cautiously Toward Internet Betting

(Las Vegas, Nevada) — As gambling profits spur an unprecedented multibillion-dollar building boom on the Strip, untold ranks of professional poker players, sports bettors and recreational gamblers continue to pour money into a shadow industry based offshore but with a de facto home in Las Vegas.

And while a seemingly endless debate rages on in Congress over whether to legalize Internet gambling nationwide, some gaming interests are pursuing a different tack by appealing to Nevada regulators with the power to allow and oversee online betting for Nevada residents within the state's borders. Federal law allows such online gambling.

As a step in that direction, UNLV's International Gaming Institute is trying to quantify how many Nevadans gamble online and measure gamblers' attitudes toward legalizing Internet gambling.

Read entire article here.

 

10/24/07 - Gambling Firms Want EU to Turn to Congress

BRUSSELS, Oct 24 - Online gambling firms want European Union trade chief Peter Mandelson to change tack over a controversial move by the United States to close its multi-billion dollar gambling market to foreign firms.

EU companies, many of them world leaders and including PartyGaming, Bwin, Sporting Bet and 888.com, saw their stock market value plunge in 2006 after the United States shut off their biggest market.

In May this year, after being defeated at the World Trade Organisation, Washington took the rare step of withdrawing its WTO commitment to allow foreign firms into its gambling market.

Read entire article here.

 

10/22/07 - French Online Gambling Liberalisation

According to a piece in Forbes magazine this week, France’s Interior Minister, Michele Alliot-Marie, has announced that the Government could be open to a more reasonable approach to online gambling.

The magazine reports that the Minister wants to liberalise online gambling in order to allow French casinos to be ‘present in these new markets without lowering the level of vigilance that operators and the State must maintain on the quality and offering of games.’

Read entire article here.

 

10/22/07 - Total Commitment For New Online Casino

Casino software company TotalESoft Ltd has announced the release of a new online casino, World-Wide-Win.com, powered by software from TotalESoft.com.

World-Wide-Win.com boasts over 100 games ranging from table games such as blackjack and craps to multi-line video slots.


'We are very excited to announce the release of our latest online casino, World-Wide-Win.com,” said Jonathan Francis, Chief Executive Officer for TotalESoft.

Read entire article here.

 

10/22/07 - US Players Still Playing Online

Despite the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), millions of Americans are continuing to gamble online without hindrance.

According to the many blogs that have been helping US-based players carry on gambling, not much has changed since the passage of UIGEA with almost all online gambling sites still accepting American players.


'Not much has changed since the deadline passed,” said Dave Chance, the owner of a leading blog.

Read entire article here.

 

10/22/07 -  Absolute Poker responds to charges of insider cheating

With charges of insider cheating and security breaches still swirling around Absolute Poker, Absolute's owner attempted to set the record straight Sunday by releasing a statement addressed to its players.

"The integrity of our poker system was compromised by a high-ranking trusted consultant employed by AP whose position gave him extraordinary access to certain security systems," said Joe Norton, the former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and the owner of Tokwiro Enterprises ENRG, which holds a 100% interest in Absolute Poker.

Read entire article here.

 

10/22/07 - Playtech launches mobile slots

DOUGLAS, Isle of Man -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Playtech (AIM: PTEC), the designer, developer and licensor of software to the international online, mobile and land-based gaming industry announces that it has recently launched the popular Gold Rally progressive jackpot on its mobile platform, allowing players the chance to win multi-million Gold Rally jackpots on their mobile.

WinAJackpot.com is a portal designed to broaden the appeal of Playtech's hit progressive jackpot games like Gold Rally, a very popular progressive 8-line Wild West themed slot game featuring two interactive bonus stages. The link to Playtech's mobile product gives players the chance to win progressive jackpots in the multi-million dollar range while playing on their mobiles.

Read entire article here.

 

10/22/07 - Unibet wins marketing award

MONTREAL, Quebec -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Income Access is proud to announce that its partner, Unibet has been recipient of the gaming industry's high marketing accolade, "Offline Marketing Campaign of the year". Announced at the third annual eGaming Awards held at the Natural History Museum on Friday 28 September, Unibet proudly took the honours over its competitors and reaffirmed its high status in the industry once again after having been named Sportsbook of the Year at the same awards in 2006.

Listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm, Unibet is a member of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) and is one of the largest privately owned gaming operators in the European market, providing services in 20 languages and serving more than 1.8 million customers in over 100 countries.

Read entire article here.

 

10/19/07 - Internet Gambling Act Should Be Scrapped

A year ago last Saturday, President George W. Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and online gambling was banned in the U.S.

At least, that was the intention. Twelve months later, there are just as many people gambling online, if not more. Many bettors don't even know the law was changed, partly because it was tacked on as an amendment to a measure aimed at increasing port security.

The biggest difference now is that the companies offering online gambling are privately held and operate out of countries where it is impossible to know who controls them; if you had a huge win, then the risk of not being paid is probably much higher.

Read entire article here.

 

10/17/07 - Leyden leads the charge for iMEGA in bid to restrain UIGEA

Edward Leyden is a self-pronounced "Internet guy." And like any good lawyer, he's got the evidence to support his claim.

Back in 1992 - well before the advent of iPods and PokerStars - the Philadelphia native jumped into the World Wide Web when he worked with BNA Online, the largest independent publisher of information and analysis products for law, tax, business, and government professionals. In addition, he participated as an industry member of the National Information Infrastructure (NII) in the early 1990s and was also the counsel for an in-house technology venture that commercialized linguistic searching tools in 1996.

"I've been heavily involved with the Internet ever since the very start," says the passionate Washington D.C.-based attorney, who also previously served the Technology, Communications & Entertainment (TCE) business sector. "So if there's something out there that is going to threaten the growth and prosperity of it, I feel very strongly that something should be done to stop it."

Read entire article here.

 

10/12/07 - US faces US$100 billion fine for web gaming ban

A Brussels think-tank has accused the US government of reneging on commitments made to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over internet gaming.

Panellists at a trade forum levelled harsh criticism at the US, focusing on a burgeoning trade clash between the US and Europe over internet gaming.

The forum believes that the US could be liable for up to US$100 billion in trade concessions to European industries after placing illegal discriminatory trade restrictions on European gaming operators.

The disputed concessions arise from Antigua's victory earlier this year when the WTO ruled that the US violated its treaty obligations by excluding online Antiguan gaming operators, while allowing domestic operators to offer various forms of online gaming.

Instead of complying with the ruling, the Bush administration withdrew the sizeable gambling industry from its free trade commitments.

As a result, all 151 WTO members are considering seeking compensation for the withdrawal equal to the size of the entire US land-based and online gaming market, estimated at nearly US$100 billion.

Read entire article here.

 

 

10/06/07 - US Internet Gambling Regulation Gains More Support

Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank has announced that another major politician has agreed to co-sponsor his Internet Gambling Regulation And Enforcement Act (IGREA) proposal, which takes the total number of those voicing their support in the body to 37.

Joining others who have voiced support for IGREA, Representative Raul Grijalva is about to take over as Co-Chairman the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the largest single partisan league in The United States House of Representatives that works to advance progressive issues and causes including fair trade agreements.

Read entire article here.

 

10/05/07 - Rep. Frank: Don't need online gambling study

WASHINGTON, DC -- (PRESS RELEASE) --In an interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) stated that legislation calling for an independent study on Internet gambling is not necessary and that the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute around Internet gambling could result in significant economic penalties against the U.S., particularly those from the European Union.

Representatives Shelley Berkley (D-NV) recently introduced the Internet Gambling Study Act, which calls for the National Academy of Sciences to study a range of issues that involve Internet gaming legislation. Although Frank has signed on as a co-sponsor of the legislation, he believes that such a study would be ineffective. "What's to study?" Frank stated. "Whether or not I should be able to make my own bet with my own money?"

Read entire article here.

 

9/25/07 - Spanish Tax Authorities to Investigate Foreign Gaming Operators

Spanish tax authorities have confirmed that they have opened an investigation into allegations of fiscal fraud against foreign online gaming firms, estimated to be valued at €500 million.

A spokesperson for the tax authority said that the department was working closely with the Anti-corruption division of the public prosecutors office to study the legal issues surrounding online gaming companies.

The investigation was opened following a formal complaint by Spanish lottery operator, ONCE, which submitted evidence demonstrating the fact that foreign online gaming companies targeting Spanish citizens fail to contribute taxes in the form of IVA (value added tax), IRPF (tax on employees), and social contributions, all of which are considered to be in breach of Spanish law.

Read entire article here.

 

9/25/07 - US Makes Compensation Offer to EU

Leading newspaper the Financial Times has reported that the Government of the United States has made its first compensation offer to the European Union (EU) following its withdrawal from World Trade Organisation (WTO) obligations.

The recent newspaper report claims that European gambling groups are currently pressing the EU to reject as inadequate the American compensation offer for losses suffered when the US passed its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) legislation last year restricting online betting.

Read entire article here.

 

9/20/07 - Report: Online gambling doesn't lead to problem gambling

WASHINGTON, DC -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- A report released today by the U.K. Gambling Commission, which regulates Internet gambling in Britain, reveals that problem gambling has not increased over the last eight years despite the availability of Internet gambling. The British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 found that the rates of problem gambling were 0.6 percent and 0.5 percent of the gambling population, the same percentage of problem gamblers as reported in the last gambling participation survey conducted in 1999.

"The Commission's report shows that Internet gambling opponents are using scare tactics to argue that regulated Internet gambling will result in an increase in compulsive gambling," said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "The reality is that regulated Internet gambling, which is clearly working in the U.K., can offer better controls and protection for underage and vulnerable gamblers in the U.S."

Read antire article here.

 

9/17/07 - France Considers Opening Gambling Market

Following a sustained attack from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) regarding its restricted Internet gambling market, French officials have initiated talks in Brussels to consider the opening up of the industry to foreign competitors.

The ECJ has given France until October 29th to modify its online gambling legislation, which currently only permits native firms PMU and Française des Jeux to offer their services over the Internet. This policy has caused the French government to be in breach of article 49 of the European Treaty which allows for a free market in the service sector within the EU.

Read entire article here.

 

 

9/14/07 - ReferBack to sponsor CAP Euro

GIBRALTAR -- (PRESS RELEASE) -– ReferBack, the affiliate program of online gaming giant, Carmen Media Group, is proud to announce that it will once again be the Platinum sponsor of the CAP Euro conference which will take place in Barcelona in October this year. The four day event, from 4-7 October, will be the second Casino Affiliate conference in Europe this year and will bring together the top affiliate minds in internet gaming.

"Following on our extremely successful sponsorship of CAP Euro London at the beginning of this year, ReferBack is thrilled to participate in this event for the second time around as the Platinum sponsor," said Grant Laubscher, Head of ReferBack. "CAP Euro is one of the best events of its kind in the world, helping to spark new ideas in creating first rate affiliate programs as well as growing and educating the casino affiliate market. The event provides an excellent networking forum that keeps our industry moving forward."

Read entire article here.

 

9/13/07 - Frank: Bet bill stalled

WASHINGTON, DC -- Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., on Tuesday acknowledged his bill to overturn an Internet gambling ban has stalled, but he said pressure from foreign countries could revive the legislation.

Frank, who is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, conducted a hearing on the bill in June but no further action is planned this year.

"It's not dead. It's not very active," Frank said. "It depends on whether or not there's support. I don't think there's support for it yet. It's growing."

Frank said it is up to gamblers to push efforts to overturn the ban, but then quickly corrected himself.

Read entire article here.

 

9/11/07 - Online Gambling "Prohibition" Hits Snag: US Required to Respond by 21st

iMEGA Responds, Contests US DoJ Dismissal Motion in UIEGA Challenge Association legal team demonstrates our case for standing and potential harm to our members through bad law.

Today, in accordance with the deadline set by Judge Mary L. Cooper, iMEGA's legal team filed its brief with the US District Court in New Jersey (Trenton division), in response to a US Dept. of Justice motion to dismiss our complaint against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

Read entire article here.

 

9/04/07 - Unions target Connecticut casinos

CONNETICUT -- As reported by the Connecitcut Day: "Big labor has set its sights on a big target — the Foxwoods Resort Casino — raising the stakes for workers and management there and possibly at the nearby Mohegan Sun.

"As the United Auto Workers union organizers make their push at Foxwoods and the UAW continues to add unions at commercial casinos like the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, industry analysts said the pressure to organize both tribal and commercial casinos appears likely to increase.

"The UAW began organizing dealers and other workers at Foxwoods last spring.

"...The UAW already represents more than 6,000 casino dealers and others in Detroit, Rhode Island and Atlantic City, said Robert Madore, director of the UAW for Region 9A.

Read entire article here.

 

9/04/07 - Online Casino Makes a Powerful Start to 2007

Ireland’s largest bookmaker and online gambling provider Paddy Power has announced a 53 percent surge in its first half operating profit hitting €14.8 million.
 

During the first half of 2007 the total amount wagered at the firm’s online sportsbook increased by 19 percent to €279 million with the average bet value increasing by 3 percent to €28.36. The company’s online gaming division, that gives customers access to fixed odds sportsbetting, poker, casino, bingo and skills gaming services, also increased its net revenues by 42 percent to reach €18.4 million.

Read entire article here.
 

 

9/04/07 - InterCasino, InterPoker obtain Malta license

LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- InterCasino and InterPoker have been granted online casino gaming and online poker licenses from the government Malta. Pursuant to their licence, the companies have successfully completed the stringent requirements of the Maltese government to operate their online gaming business from Malta.

Recognised as blue-chip brands throughout Europe, InterCasino and InterPoker chose to relocate their servers to Malta due to the country's progressive policy in online gaming regulation, and because of the operational advantages across Europe that an online gaming license within the EU affords. It has already been recognised by the United Kingdom that InterCasino and InterPoker's Maltese license places these companies on a white-list of compliant operators allowed to advertise within the UK.

Read entire article here.

 

8/28/07 - Online Casino Companies Flock to Malta

The introduction of the UK Gambling Act on September 1 has proved to be good news for Malta with no fewer than 27 international gaming companies set to relocate their online operations to the island.

Some of the industry’s biggest names such as Intercasino, William Hill, Littlewoods, Playboy Casino and Virgin Games are geared up to provide online poker and casino services from Malta within the next week.

Read entire article here.

 

8/28/07 - US Banks Still Servicing Online Casinos

Americas Watchdog has released the findings of a report on the ‘Involvement of US Banks and Major US Credit Card Issuers in Internet Gambling’ and have discovered that not all companies are adhering to the guidelines of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), introduced to the US in October 2006.

Read entire article here.

 

8/27/07 - Antigua, Barbuda's claims expected to reach $7 billion

ANTIGUA and BARBUDA -- As reported by the Antigua Sun: "Antigua and Barbuda's claims against the US are likely to reach as high as US$7 billion as the internet gambling dispute continues.

"Antigua and Barbuda's attorney at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mark Mendel has warned the US to expect billions more in sanctions as the country prepares to file its claim in respect of America's decision to withdraw from its General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) commitment to international market access in the areas of gambling and betting services.

Read entire article here.

 

8/23/07 - Gambling Dispute With a Tiny Country Puts U.S. in a Bind

With long blond hair reaching his shoulders and dozens of cloth bracelets peeking out from under his sleeves, Mark E. Mendel hardly conjures up the image of a typical lawyer.But then there is nothing run-of-the-mill about the case that Mr. Mendel, a Texan who was born and raised in Southern California, has been waging against his own government before the World Trade Organization, the body in Geneva that sets the ground rules for global trade. It is a clash that at once challenges Washington’s effort to prohibit online gambling while simultaneously testing the ability of the W.T.O. to enforce its own standards.

Read entire article here.

 

8/23/07 - Online Casino Reports Better Revenues

Online casino Betsson has announced an increase in both net sales and operating profit for the second quarter of the year.

The Swedish public company published reports showing a 147 percent increase in net sales from $9.1 million to $22.5 million with operating profit increasing to $6.82 million from a net loss during the same period last year.


Group President Pontus Lindwall said that Betsson.com launched its French-language site in the quarter and flagged a new dividend policy that will see up to 75 percent of the company’s income after taxes distributed to shareholders.
 

Read entire article here.

 

8/22/07 - Online gaming sites look to comply with U.K. ad rules

Online gaming sites looking to comply with the U.K.'s new advertising guidelines are taking two different routes – moving their bases of operation or trying to get their jurisdiction approved.

More than 1,000 online gambling firms will not be allowed to advertise in the U.K. after the 2005 Gambling Act takes effect on Sept. 1, according to a statement released earlier this month by the U.K.'s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The new regulations state that in order to advertise in the U.K., online gaming sites must reside in an approved jurisdiction, must direct problem gamblers to the U.K.'s gamble aware Web site, must not target children and must not advertise on TV or radio before 9 p.m.

Read entire article here.

 

8/15/07 - US Online Casino Ban Further Criticised

Two Members of America’s House of Representatives have published an editorial in the New York Post newspaper outlining why they believe in regulating online casinos rather than banning them.
Representatives Steve Israel, a Democrat, and Republican Pete King were original co-signers of Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (IGREA), House of Representatives Bill 2046, and said that the Treasury Department is in charge of a number of jobs, including protecting the President, investigating counterfeit money and tracking terrorist financing and should not be made to look after the ban on online casinos.

Read entire article here.

 

8/15/07 - Antigua-Barbuda Confident Over UK White List

Antigua and Barbuda, has stated that it is certain that it fulfills the correct criteria to join the UK government’s white list, thereby avoiding the restrictions on gambling advertisements from offshore companies that comes into effect from September 1.
The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) last week published the 'white list' of areas that will be permitted to continue advertising their country’s gambling services on television, radio and in print although they fall outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).

Read entire article here.

 

8/12/07 - Playtech’s Vision for the Future is 3D

Playtech, a provider of software platforms for the online gambling industry, has announced that it has signed a deal with 3D poker operator PKR.com.

The partnership will see Playtech creating a bespoke online casino for the poker firm that will feature an extensive variety of popular casino games.

Read entire article here.

 

8/9/07 - Online Casino Software Developer Announces Revenues Increase

High-profile gaming software developer CryptoLogic has announced impressive financial results for Q2 ending on June 30, 2007, which would have showed an operating profit of $2.5 million if not for the company’s $4 million reorganisation costs as part of the relocation of its headquarters to Ireland and some non-recurring tax impacts.

Read entire article here.

 

8/8/07 - IMEGA's chances of success remote

There is a lot of buzz surrounding the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association's suit to obtain a temporary restraining order to stop the Department of Justice from implementing regulations to enforce the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

The organization, described as a non-profit "professional association dedicated to the continued growth and innovation of the Internet," will be granted a hearing at the Third Circuit Court in New Jersey on Sept. 4.

The restraining order, however, faces an uphill battle, according to Buffalo State Business Law professor Joseph Kelly.

Read entire article here.

 

8/6/07 - Ron Paul Talks to Gambling911: "The Internet Should Not be Regulated"

2008 Presidential candidate Ron Paul sat down with Gambling911.com's Kira Wissman for a few moments Friday night following his speech at a rally in Mars, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh.  The time spent was brief since Paul had to rush out on his way to Iowa the next morning. 

Read entire article here.

 

8/6/07 - iMEGA the Only Game in Town Right Now for Internet Gambling Freedom

"iMEGA is the only game in town and hopefully other (Internet gambling) companies will jump on board," said Eric M. Bernstein, whose law firm is representing iMEGA's challenge against Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and the Federal Reserve Bank.

Gambling911.com had an opportunity to sit down with Mr. Bernstein to discuss iMEGA's challenge in a New Jersey court against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). 

On September 4 a hearing is set whereby Judge Mary J. Cooper will decide whether or not to grant a temporary restraining order, which in essence would prevent the US Federal Government from enforcing the UIGEA.

Read entire article here.

 

8/1/07 - Online gambling activists fighting back in Washington

The state of Washington turned heads in June of 2006 by making Internet gambling a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

And that was just for the players.

After living with law for just over a year, gambling aficionados in Washington are beginning to fight back. Renton-based attorney Lee Rousso found the law so egregious that he's challenging it in court. Rousso, who would not say whether he continues to play poker on the Internet, says the law unfairly "makes (Internet poker players) look like criminals."

Read entire article here.

 

8/1/07 - NETeller smoothly processing U.S. withdrawals

NETeller unlocked it U.S. accounts Monday and has begun processing withdrawal requests. American customers have until Jan. 26, 2008 to withdraw their funds, and only complete withdrawal requests are being honored. The accounts can not be used for any other purpose.

So far, the process appears to be moving smoothly. Casino City submitted its withdrawal request on Monday and funds were transferred to its bank account that same day. Other gaming affiliates are reporting similar successes.

Read entire article here.

 

7/30/07 - US could face reprecussions from online gaming ban

WASHINGTON, DC -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- A leading trade policy expert called for the U.S. to speedily resolve its trade agreement violation around Internet gambling with the World Trade Organization as the dispute could damage the WTO's credibility and force the U.S. to pay billions in compensation. The WTO's ruling in March, involving a dispute filed by the Caribbean island nations of Antigua and Barbuda, found that the U.S. unfairly prohibits foreign Internet gambling operators from accessing the U.S. market, while allowing domestic companies to legally accept online bets. The United States Trade Representative announced in May that the U.S. would withdraw its commitments to the WTO to open its markets to offshore-based internet gambling operators.

Read entire article here.

 

7/30/07 - EcoCard to drop U.S. market

EcoCard will stop processing U.S. online gambling transactions starting Aug. 24, according to an email sent by the company to customers Monday.

The financial processor cited recent industry developments as the reason for its withdrawal from the U.S. market.

American customers can continue to conduct transactions, including gambling related transfers, until the suspension date, according to the email.

Non-U.S. customers "are not affected by the change." U.S. customers can continue to use Ecocard for Internet transactions, including person-to-person money transfers and withdrawals, as long as they are not linked to Internet gambling merchants.

 

7/27/07 - NETeller Resumes Trading

Embattled online payment processor NETeller re-emerged onto the London Stock Exchange yesterday after six months of uncertainty and announced that its shares rose ten pence following early morning deals.

NETeller shares were suspended voluntarily on January 16 pending clarification after former Directors and founder shareholders Stephen Lawrence and John Lefebvre were investigated by US authorities in the wake of America’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) legislation with its first-quarter performance
 

Read entire article here.

 

7/26/07 - A surge in the war (of intimidation)

The latest news in the United States Department of Justice's war against Internet gambling is not good news for online poker players.

Up until 2006, most of the attacks by law enforcement were against sports betting sites. The DOJ has publicly taken the position that the Wire Act, the main federal anti-gambling law that might apply to the Internet, outlaws all forms of gambling. However, a couple of courts have ruled the Wire Act is limited to bets on sports events and races. The DOJ does not want to lose its power of intimidation by losing a case, so it has not brought any charges against pure poker sites.

But in April 2006, the House of Representative's Judiciary Committee and later the full House approved a bill to amend the Wire Act to cover all gambling, including poker.

Read entire article here.

 

7/24/07 - Antigua Seeks $3.4 billion In Trade Sanctions Against U.S.

(Geneva, CHE) — The tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda asked the World Trade Organization on Tuesday for the right to authorize US$3.4 billion (€2.5 billion) in commercial sanctions against the United States for its failure to comply with a ruling that its Internet gambling restrictions are illegal.

Washington acknowledged that its online betting ban was ruled illegal by the WTO, but challenged Antigua's right to retaliate because it says it is in the process of changing the details of its obligations under the 1994 General Agreement on Trade in Services. The U.S. also rejected the amount requested by Antigua as "patently excessive."

The WTO set up an arbitration panel to rule on the matter.

Read entire article here.

 

7/24/07 - NETeller halts Israeli online gambling transfers

NETeller will no longer process online gambling related transactions for Israeli customers, according to a press release issued last week.

"Recent legal developments have increased the uncertainty regarding the legality around certain activities related to online gambling in the Israeli market," the release stated.

The halt took effect on July 19.

NETeller will continue to process non-gambling related transactions for Israeli customers.

 

7/22/07 - US Online Casino Bill Gains New Friends in Congress

In America, support for House of Representatives (HR) Bill 2046, also known as the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (IGREA) 2007, has grown this week with five more Congressman voicing their support and agreeing to sponsor the legislation.

IGREA was introduced in April by Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, also Chairman of the influential House Financial Services Committee, and would license and regulate online gambling in the United States. Online poker and gambling companies licensed under Frank's bill would be exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was passed in October

.
Read entire article here.

 

7/15/07 - Caribbean countries join together against online ban

WASHINGTON, DC -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Conference of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at its recent meeting in Barbados, expressed its appreciation and pledged its support for the efforts of Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and his legislation to regulate Internet gambling in the United States. The 15 CARICOM member countries further pledged to work with Members of Congress who introduced bills to regulate and enforce Internet gaming and expressed continued support for Antigua and Barbuda in their claim for compensation from the U.S. for World Trade Organization (WTO) trade agreement violations involving Internet gambling.

Read entire article here.

 

7/14/07- NETELLER Promises Funds Resolution Within Days

NETELLER Plc, the independent global online payments business, has issued an official statement declaring that the company is using its best efforts to resolve its investigation by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (USAO).

The company stated that it had advised the USAO that the investigation would be resolved on or soon after 13 July 2007. The company believes that it is making significant progress towards achieving a resolution and hopes to be able to announce this within a number of days.

Read entire article here.

 

7/13/07 - Date Set For iMEGA vs. UIGEA

The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association’s (iMEGA) bid to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), and act introduced by the US in 2006, has finally gained momentum after a Federal Judge assigned a September 4 hearing date for the iMEGA lawsuit filed on June 5.

IMEGA’s lawsuit filings made a request for a temporary restraining order to stop US banks from having to implement the range of policies that already exist or may be created by the Treasury and the Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, until the courts have heard the full set of arguments on the UIGEA.
 

Judge Mary L. Cooper of the US District Court in Trenton, New Jersey will preside over the hearing.

Read entire article here.

 

7/7/07 - Online Casino Takeover Talks at an End

English online gambling company Sportingbet has announced that talks regarding its takeover by Austrian Internet bookmaker bwin Interactive Entertainment have ended by mutual consent.
Talks began in March after bwin made a ‘very preliminary’ takeover approach following Sportingbet’s exit from the US market. This departure from the world’s largest online gaming market followed passage of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in October, which effectively banned Internet gambling in the US.

Read entire article here.

 

7/5/07 - Online Casino Games For iPhone

Popular slots and video poker website Slotland.com has announced that, unlike numerous other providers, its mobile and web games do work on the new Apple iPhone.

The iPhone was unveiled last week but has been designed to run with only the Apple applications provided. As a consequence, it does not support software from most mobile and online gambling providers and operates mainly as a web browser. Apple’s latest invention also does not allow users to download and install their choice of games nor does it support Java and Flash applications.

Read entire article here.

 

7/5/07 - Online Casino Forums Prove a Hit

According to a recent online gambling survey, up to 40 percent of players use independent Internet message boards for a variety of reasons including finding the best bonuses and investigating gambling venues before playing.

The study was commissioned by the e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) independent standards authority and conducted by England’s Nottingham Trent University. Over 11,000 respondents were questioned and 40 per cent stated that they regularly use forums to ascertain everything from the current US political and legal situation and the mathematics of gambling odds to responsible gambling, business news and game preferences.

Read entire article here.

 

 

7/5/07 - WPT Enterprises launches website

LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPTE) announced today the official launch of its new online real money and "play for fun" gaming site, WorldPokerTour.com. WPT executives are in London to celebrate the launch and invite players from around the globe to register and receive the $1500 "You Play, We Pay" bonus program, one of the industry's largest bonuses ever offered. Five years ago televised poker sparked the global poker boom and skyrocketed the online gaming business into a multi-billion dollar-per-year industry, yet gaming laws prompted WPTE to tailor its rules accordingly and not accept US bets. In April, WPT moved its online global gaming platform to develop a new site with leading software developer, CryptoLogic, whose shared network offers a constant, substantial player liquidity.

Read entire article here.

 

7/2/07 - US Internet Gambling Reform Bill In Danger

A proposed Congressional Bill designed to reform online gambling in the United States could be in danger of becoming reality due to supplementary legislation that promises a billion-dollar bonus for affordable housing.

Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank introduced HB-2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, in April and Congressional hearings on the feasibility of the Bill were held in June.
 

It seeks to reverse the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) that Congress passed in October to ban Internet gambling in the United States by prohibiting American banks and credit card companies from processing payments to and from online gambling sites.
 

Read entire article here.

 

 

6/29/07 - Neteller Founder Guilty of Conspiracy

NEW YORK -- The co-founder of Neteller, which processed billions of dollars in Internet gambling transactions for Americans, pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of criminal conspiracy.

Stephen Lawrence, whose company, Neteller PLC, was once one of the primary ways U.S. citizens placed bets with offshore bookies, acknowledged in a federal courtroom in Manhattan that the operation was illegal.

"I came to understand that providing payment services to online gambling Web sites serving customers in the United States was wrong," he told the judge.

Read entire article here.

 

6/29/07 - Dept. of Treasury Poised to Regulate Financial Activity for Online Gambling

(Washington, D.C.) — A new regulation issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury exempts casinos from having to report currency transactions reports, required for transactions involving $10,000 or more, on jackpots from slot machines, video lottery terminals and other electronic gaming devices.

This June 26 regulation is significant because it reaffirms the central role played by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in regulating financial transactions involving casino activity in the United States.

The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, recently introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), assigns FinCEN the responsibility to protect consumers and the financial system from the risk of Internet gambling abuses through the introduction of a robust licensing regime.

Read entire article here.

 

6/29/07 - Online Casino Becomes First to Open NFL Lines

Online gaming site Intertops.com has announced that it has become the first online sportsbook to open lines on the 2007 NFL season.

The company, which was the first to take an online wager, has the New England Patriots (+400) as early favourites to win Super Bowl XLII in Arizona next February, ahead of the Indianapolis colts at +650, and the San Diego Chargers at +750.

Read entire article here.

 

6/29/07 - Online Casino Group Moves up the Revenue Ranks

The UK’s second largest casino group, Rank, has announced that it is back in pole position after an increase in online gaming sales provided the basis for ‘strong growth’ in its first half operating profit.

Rank shares soared by as much as 4.6 percent and the company’s online gambling division, Blue Square, saw an impressive 37 percent growth in revenue.

Read entire article here.

 

6/26/07 - Online Gambling Lawsuit Verses Alberto Gonzales Making Waves

iMEGA has made a splash in a very short time, with its suit challenging the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in US Circuit Court vs. Alberto Gonzales (3rd District - New Jersey).

The filing quickly made news in technology, legal, political and gaming industry circles (see links below). Many articles noted iMEGA's emergence from "obscurity" to become a plaintiff in a suit challenging a law intended to target the internet gambling industry, but using restrictions and increased regulation of US banking and credit card systems to achieve the end of preventing operators and players from engaging in play.

Read entire article here.

 

6/26/07 - Australia, Macau Now Want Compensation from US in Online Gambling Dispute

This is literally David fighting Goliath as the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua with its 60,000 plus population drove after the United States with a dagger in its dispute over a thriving online gambling industry. That dispute was eventually won through the World Trade Organization (WTO). But what was once Antigua verses the United States, has now become the rest of the world verses the United States and that later nation will risk further isolation and disrepair should it choose to ignore the WTO decision.

Read entire article here.

 

6/23/07 - Gambling Industry Will Be Worth $144 billion by 2011

A report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has predicted that the global gambling industry may be worth as much as $144 billion in 2011 following an annual compounded growth rate of 7.2 per cent.

According to the report, the value of the industry, which is currently worth $101.6 billion, is set to soar thanks to a surge of new casinos being built worldwide and the revamping of existing casinos.


The Asia/Pacific region will be the main catalyst behind the increase, especially the Chinese resort of Macau. Revenue is expected to increase from $14.6 billion to $30.3 billion, a 15.7% improvement.
 

Read entire article here.

 

6/21/07 - EU Wants Sanctions For Online Casino Ban

The European Union (EU) has requested compensation from the United States in response to its ban on foreign online gambling sites that do not comply with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

British online gaming operators such as Sportingbet PLC and Leisure And Gaming were forced to quit the profitable US market in October following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
 

Rean entire article here.

 

6/20/07 - Convincing Congress to change its stance on Internet gambling

I met with Jim Gordon, a staffer for my Congressman, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), this afternoon. My Congressman has been holding "Open Office" hours for the last two weeks to let his constituents voice their opinions on issues we feel he should be addressing.

I talked about Internet gambling.

I told him that I believed that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was not an effective means of controlling Internet gambling, and I asked that Rep. Lynch take another look at the issue. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, recently held a hearing that explored the feasibility of regulating the industry, and there are several bills in the House that would change the U.S. stance on the $15.5 billion industry.

Read entire article here.

 

6/20/07 - Antigua claims $3.4 bln from U.S. over gambling ban

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA -- As reported by Bloomberg: "Antigua and Barbuda said it's entitled to $3.44 billion in compensation from the U.S. in a World Trade Organization dispute over an American ban on Internet gambling.

"The compensation would be in the form of Antigua withdrawing intellectual property protection for U.S. trademarks, patents and industrial designs, the government said in a statement.

"...After losing an appeal against earlier WTO decisions which found the U.S. ban illegal, the U.S. moved May 4 to 'clarify' its commitments to the Geneva-based trade arbiter, saying it 'never intended' to open its market to offshore Internet gambling when it made pledges on joining the WTO in 1994..."

 

6/13/07 - Congressman Frank Appeals For People Power

To coincide with hearings taking place this week on his bill that would establish a scheme to legalize, license and regulate Internet gambling operations, Representative Barney Frank has been on the interview circuit and has asked for Americans to contact their local representatives with their support for his measures.

'Call your Representative and your Senators and tell them to get out of your life,” said the Massachusetts Democrat.


Read entire article here.

 

6/13/07 - US Government Receives Summons Regarding UIGEA Complaint

Gambling911.com can reveal that the Department of Justice, US attorney in Newark, NJ, FTC and Federal Reserve have been served by the US Circuit Court in NJ to respond to a complaint filed by Internet trade organization, The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association.

That organization is seeking an injunction against the enforcement of the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006" (UIGEA).

Read entire article here.

 

6/11/07 - Foe of gambling welcomes hearings on new legislation

Gambling opponent the Rev. Tom Grey on Friday welcomed congressional hearings on Internet betting, saying bills being proposed to lift federal restrictions on online gambling will force presidential candidates to take a stand on the issue.

With House hearings being conducted in Washington, D.C., about regulating Internet gambling, advocates from both sides of the issue debated Friday at the Rio during the annual National Council of Legislators from Gaming States conference.

"This is the definitive battle on how far we are willing to go on the gambling binge America is on," Grey, field director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, said during a debate Friday.

Read entire article here.

 

6/10/07 - UK High Court Throws Out BCA Super-casino Challenge

The British High court has today dismissed a challenge by the British Casinos Association (BCA) to government plans to build a new wave of Las Vegas-style casinos in the UK.

The BCA, which represents 90 percent of casino operators, had sought a review of the government's new gambling policy, arguing that plans for a 5,000-square-metre Super-casino and 16 other large casinos could cost existing casinos up to £120 million a year in lost profits and force many out of business.
 

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6/07/07 - McDermott introduces Internet Gambling Regulation and Taxation Enforcement Act

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Taxation Enforcement Act (IGRTEA) today, just hours after Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) announced he would introduce a bill amending the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

McDermott's measure would create a tax regime for U.S. online gambling companies expected to generate $6-$25 billion in U.S. tax revenues in its first five years of enactment, according to the representative's press office.

The bill is meant to serve as the tax mechanism for Rep. Barney Frank's (D-Mass.) Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (IGREA) and could possibly be discussed along with other U.S. Internet gambling legislation during tomorrow's House Financial Services Committee hearing at 10 a.m.

Read entire article here.

 

6/05/07 - Online Gambling Industry Could See Relief with Suit Against Gonzales

The online gambling industry could see some much needed relief with the announcement that an independent group is seeking judgment restraining the United States from enforcing the &q