Online Casino News and Information

Christchurch Casino has been forced to exit the Internet Gambling business, Internal Affairs has forced Christchurch Casino to exit, but they also let the company continue its two online casinos and bingo and poker sites for seven months after deciding they had breached the Gambling Act.

The company will have amp time to sell the business as a going concern to overseas owners. Kiwi Casino.com was launched by Christchurch in 2000 as it first online casino. Which later expanded its Net gaming activities to include portfolio sister websites offering online bingo and poker.

In August, 2006, the department told Christchurch Casino that its involvement in Internet Gambling breached the Gambling Act,that was passed in 2003. Clearing it after an earlier investigation which carried out under previous legislation, that also prevented organizations other than the TAB from accepting bets from Kiwi’s over the Net.

Trevor Henry, spokesman, said “Internal Affairs never sent a letter asking Christchurch Casino to “cease and desist.” Instead, Christchurch Casino told Internal Affairs in October of 2006, that it intended to sell the business, which is confirmed it had done in a letter to the department in March of 2007. Mr. Henry defended the delay. He said “the way these things work, there are always exchanges and arguments and so forth. We reached the decision and we will be sending a letter, also in the meantime we got advice to say we are selling.”

Rich Barker, Internal Affairs Minister said “He is satisfied with the process the department followed. “ “Prior to taking prosecution action, the department sought Crown Law to confirm its view. It received this on February, 23 2007.” “Had Christchurch Casino chosen to keep the website and defend the issue through the courts, the process would have taken longer.”
Mr. Henry also says “the investigation will be closed once Internal Affairs has confirmed that no New Zealand entity now has an ownership interest in Kiwi Casino.”

Kiwi Casino made the sale public after a repart came from Mr. Barker by the department last month. The report addressed allegations of loan sharking and other impropriety at the casino that had led to calls for public enquiry.
Internal Affairs said “the allegations had been used to suggest that the casino was not properly managed and that the department was “not an effective casino reulator”.

The investigation began in November of 2000, when Internal Affairs began its first investigation into the legality of Kiwi Casino. Christchurch ran the company through an overseas subsidiary, “Christchurch Casino E-Gaming Investments”, using a license issued by the Government of Antiqua and Barbuda.

In 2002, papers were released to NZ InfoTech, under the Official Information Act that showed Internal Affairs let its investigation lapse after accepting assurances from Christchurch Casino that procedures were in place that made it difficult for New Zealanders to register to use its websites.

Gregory Crott, Internal Affairs’ national manager of gaming compliance at the time, finally closed the departments investigation in 2002 after NZ InfoTech requested an update on its status. He cited “the length of time taken on the investigation” as one reason for the decision. Mr. Henry says “Internal Affairs kicked off a fresh investigation in August 2005 on the initiative of its Christchurch inspectorate, a year after the Gambling Act came into force.

NZ InfoTech reported in 2002, the department gave Christchurch Casino the benefit of doubt. That was under the legislation current at that time. But that the situation changed under the Gambling Act, which also included a specific provision covering remote interactive gambling.

Internal Affairs did confirm they received free meals from Christchurch Casinos canteen for 10 years through October 2004, after it was reported by The Press, and still continued means but with a price of $2 per meal. Inspectors have now been told not to eat at the canteen until after a further review.

More and more Congressmen feel that the UIGEA that passed last year is against their rights to participate in certain forms of recreation, so they are joining in the fight as co-sponsors joining Barney Frank and his repeal against the UIGEA.

Congressman Adam B Schiff (CA-29) joined the list of co-sponors of Barney Frank’s Bill, which is to repeal the UIGEA by legalizing and regulating Internet Gambling. This brings the co-sponsors to a total of 35 so far.

While the UIGEA made it illegal to transfer money to and from offshore gambling , without actually defining what illegal gambling offshore really is. They are seeing more and more things wrong with the UIGEA law, the offshore gambling quotes is surely one.

The UIGEA violates the First Amendment right of the United States Constitution. Opponents agree that is American’s right to free speech and commercial association has been neglected by this law. They also feel that the law violates the Tenth Amendment, which is the states’ rights to regulate online gambling.

iMega which is Interactive Media Entertainment and Gambling Association, will be going to court on September 4th with their lawsuit for a restraining order to halt the enforcement of the UIGEA. iMega has appointed Alberto Gonzales, the Federal Reserve, DOJ and FTC as the defendants.

Groups such as Focus on Family (FOFA), and Morality in Media (MIM) are fighting to keep the regulations of the UIGEA and enforce them.

All Americans need to constantly contact your congress and senate members for your state to voice your opinion, it DOES work. Stand tall for your rights as Americans. We are the land of the FREE? And the home of the BRAVE!!!!

According to a very reliable source for G&C, who works on or in Capital Hill. The UIGEA regulations are being pushed faster to get the regulations made public.

Also, according to our source, it is being put in a speedy mode to try to get the regulations out before iMEGA goes before the court on September 4th.

Our source urges you to contact your congressman and representative for your state. It is important that you contact them to express your views on the UIGEA.

iMEGA will have a huge impact when they go before New Jersey Federal Judge, Mary L Cooper. In a hearing to seek to have a new online gambling law, as well as the UIGEA overturned.

Read more about the iMEGA.
Read more about the UIGEA.

LISTED BELOW ARE THE CO-SPONSORS FOR BARNEY FRANK’S BILL.

If you do not see your state on the list, contact your congressman and representatives to voice your opinion. As of today, there are 34 co-sponsors.

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 7/26/2007
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 4/26/2007
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] - 7/26/2007
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 4/26/2007
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 6/7/2007
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 4/26/2007
Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] - 6/28/2007
Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7] - 4/26/2007
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 4/26/2007
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] - 5/22/2007
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 6/7/2007
Rep Fossella, Vito [NY-13] - 6/15/2007
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 4/26/2007
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 6/28/2007
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 7/19/2007
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 4/26/2007
Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] - 4/26/2007
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] - 5/22/2007
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 5/24/2007
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 6/7/2007
Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3] - 5/16/2007
Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] - 4/26/2007
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7] - 5/24/2007
Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] - 5/22/2007
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 7/19/2007
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] - 5/17/2007
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2] - 7/10/2007
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 5/17/2007
Rep Watt, Melvin L. [NC-12] - 4/26/2007
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 7/10/2007
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 4/26/2007
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 7/26/2007
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4] - 7/19/2007
Rep Young, Don [AK] - 6/27/2007

Read more about Barney Frank’s Bill.

The Internet Gaming Enthusiast are hoping to qualify for ballot:

SACRAMENTO — The state could be in the Internet poker business next year, if a petition drive catches on.

A proposed initiative to create a state-owned Internet poker game drew attention Tuesday from the existing gambling community, including Indian casino tribes, and support from independent experts.

Nelson Rose, a professor and attorney at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa said “It’s silly for the state not to get into the business.” “Billions of dollars are being spent on the game here, and the state isn’t getting one penny.”

California is the world’s online poker capital, analysts said. The government is missing out by not legalizing, regulating and taxing it.

Rose also said “ultimately California is going to legalize Internet Poker.” Rose who is a nationally known gambling expert also said “he is uncertain whether the new proposed initiative is the vehicle.”

The proposal would allow Indian casinos and other gambling establishments to set up revenue-sharing deals, which would serve as an incentive to wealthy tribes to gather voter signatures needed to put the measure on the February ballot.

Initiative supporters must collect about 430,000 signatures by the end of the year to qualify the measure for the ballot.

Garry South, a consultant to the California Tribal Business Alliance, which is made up of some of the tribes who own the largest casinos, said “We will look at the initiative and discuss it.”

Even card rooms — who want to attract more players — have expressed interest.
Aides to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who negotiates gambling compacts with tribes, declined comment.

The proposed initiative would order the state to establish a state-owned Internet poker site within 150 days of the proposal’s adoption, lays out game rules, and restricts players to being at least 21 years of age.

The measure says “the state may enter into revenue and player base sharing agreements with other states, localities and California federally recognized Indian tribes.”

An attorney representing several casino operating tribes not part of the tribal alliance, was skeptical, Howard Dickstein said “ An operation such as the one outlined by the initiative would be an extremely ambitious and complex project.”

Dickstein and other experts foresee possible court battles among gambling stakeholders. Federal law also is fuzzy on the issue of state-run Internet poker sites.

A maverick online gambling enthusiast who authored the measure, Anthony “Tuff Fish” Sandstrom said “He included what he hopes will be a further incentive for passage, a relatively small stream of money from “net revenues” to cities and counties to fix local roads.”

eCOGRA’s new services prove to be popular safeguards

ONLINE OPERATOR INTEREST SURGES AS ECOGRA INTRODUCES NEW SERVICES

The independent player protection and standards body eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) has experienced a surge of interest in its expanding range of professional services, says Chief Executive Officer Andrew Beveridge following a decision earlier this year to accept online gaming and betting operators that do not necessarily use the software of eCOGRA member software providers.

“It is very encouraging from an industry perspective to see a significant number of big name applicants undergoing the inspection, probity checks and monitoring procedures we use to accredit sites for the “Safe and Fair” eCOGRA seal”, says Beveridge.

“There is no reduction in the inspection and monitoring levels, or the standards required to satisfy our independent directors before an organisation is certified. However, the policy now in force opens up our services to a wider range of online gambling operators who want to achieve third party verification that the players are protected, the games are fair, and responsible practices are implemented”, he said.

Based on industry and business requirements explicitly requested by operators, eCOGRA has expanded its services to include specialist reviews and advisory services. The provision of these industry specific and specialist services is made possible through the appointment of a highly qualified team with Big 4 accounting firm experience in auditing and advisory practices.

Specialist Reviews

eCOGRA is drawing on its vast knowledge and capability in setting and enforcing standards to the benefit of the industry. Partnering with other organisations wanting to promote fair and transparent practices, eCOGRA is assisting these organisations by helping them to set standards and monitor compliance.

eCOGRA has also recently developed standards specifically focused on the operation of affiliate programs. The main objective of these standards is being able to provide some level of comfort to affiliate marketers that they are being paid the correct amount, that accounting practices and calculations on affiliate revenues due is correct, and that appropriate controls are in place to prevent skimming. This set of standards is proving extremely popular with leading affiliate programs.

Verification Services

eCOGRA’s reputation and ability to provide independent verification has been an important mechanism for operators wanting to provide additional assurance to players, or other third parties, that relevant information has been verified by a trusted source. Most recently, these services have included eCOGRA performing independent verification of winnings that have been published and marketed by the operator.

Information Security Services

eCOGRA approved operators have benefited from receiving best practice Information Security Policy templates to assist in the protection and safeguarding of the online gambling environment. Underpinning this is the confirmation that the security configuration of the technology being used conforms to the documented policies and best practices implemented by the operator. eCOGRA has therefore designed information security review services that are performed to identify any control weaknesses and system vulnerabilities that may allow malicious users and attackers to circumvent security mechanisms on Internet gambling sites.

Advisory Services

eCOGRA is able to assist and advise operators based on extensive industry experience and knowledge, and an understanding of the unique and specific challenges facing online businesses. Financial, business process and technical skills are utilised to develop and tailor innovative solutions to assist operators in a range of business and industry related challenges.

The services are designed to compliment many of the other facilities which form part of the eCOGRA offering, such as dispute mediation, responsible gambling training, and payout percentage and RNG certification.

“The popularity of these services shows that there is a genuine move in the industry toward a more professional standing through self-regulation and implementation of best practice standards”, said Beveridge. “The result is growing operator demand for audit type services that give both players and other industry stakeholders the necessary confidence in safety, professionalism and efficiency, and we have and will continue to develop a basket of services carried out by qualified specialists to satisfy this demand.”

eCOGRA is a non-profit organisation committed to addressing the important issues for players: fast payouts, fair gaming, responsive and efficient service and responsible operator conduct. The organisation provides an international framework of best operational and player practice requirements enforced through inspections, reviews, and continuous monitoring. To date, 118 sites comply with these requirements and have been awarded the “Safe and Fair” Seal that identifies to players reliable online gambling sites on the Web. For more information on the constant improving standards in online gaming for players everywhere, go to eCOGRA.