Online Casino News and Information

THE REGISTER
Anti-obsession controls already in place
By Burke Hansen in San Francisco
Wednesday 28th February 2007

Due to its proximity to mainland China, gambling development in Macau has exploded – recently even surpassing Las Vegas’ legendary Strip in revenue terms – and international players, such as Ladbrokes, have been positioning themselves to expand into the mainland itself when the time is right.

It could be a long wait.

The mouthpiece of the Chinese government, Xinhua news agency, recently announced that the Chinese government has set its sights on crushing the unlawful internet gambling industry.

The Chinese government banned gambling, among other popular vices, back in 1949 after the Communists pushed the more vice-friendly Nationalists off the mainland into Taiwan. In the decades since then, the mainland has periodically instituted “spiritual purity” campaigns to purge the masses of whatever spiritual pollution persists, and to purge the government and party ranks of those who have fallen out of favour.

“The prevalence of online gaming has ruined the online environment and harmed young people’s growth, which runs against the policy of building a harmonious society,” said a circular jointly issued to Xinhua by the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Information Industry, and the State Press and Publication Administration.

MORE – READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT THE REGISTER

eGaming Review

eGaming Review has learned that John Anderson will attend the interview with the French authorities on March 13.

888 said in a statement this morning that its non-executive director and former chief executive had been asked to attend the interview with the French gaming authorities.

The company added that the French market represented “an immaterial percentage of its business” and that it would continue to consult its legal advisers in relation to this matter.

888 had previously been the official sponsors of Toulouse football club but cancelled the contract with the French club in December following pressure placed on the club and the operator by the French authorities.

The latest news from France comes after a turbulent year for online gaming operators there. UK press reports today said European sportsbook Unibet’s senior management had also been asked to attend an interview with the French gaming police.

Last week, PartyGaming also announced that it would stop accepting any new real money accounts from French citizens. In September, Bwin co-chief executives Manfred Bodner and Norbert Teufelberger were arrested by the French gaming police and the company was forced to cancel its sponsorship contract with Monaco football club.

French politicians also passed a delinquency law this month with an amendment that would prevent the transfer of funds from French players to online gaming sites.

Sources close to John Anderson have suggested that while he is respectful of the French authorities, he is also confident of the outcome and that his company’s activities fall under European Union legislation.

There’s been a lot of talk recently through radio, articles and blogs regarding the double standard being used by the United States, most apparent lately in the area of gambling. As online gambling enthusiasts, we’ve seen US politicians assume the role of parent and pass judgment and legislation against the sins of online gambling and punished us by restricting the use of our own money in our own homes. And like recalcitrant children, we’ve bowed our heads and headed to our rooms for ‘time-out’ to contemplate our actions so we can better understand that our government is doing this for our own good. The only thing missing was Bill Frist mouthing the words ‘this is going to hurt me more than it will you’.

I was born in West Virginia so when something hits the wire from there I just sort of gravitate to the news. Associated Press ran a story about West Virginia politicians and their support of legislation to add table games to the 4 casinos currently operating there. The politicians believe accepting legislation to allow card games to the current slots only venue would give the state a much needed edge to keep their customers from spending their money in another state. No vote yet, but politicians have spoken in favor of the bill.

A really interesting aspect of the article was the casino stats made available. Did you know that 37 states now have almost 900 land casinos operating today? With more being built?

Another story to hit the wire concerns the state of California and 5 First Nation applications for casino licenses to be approved there by the state legislative body. No one seems to think there will be any problems.

Are land based casino players not in need of moral guidance too? Apparently not when the government has a piece of the action. And there’s the problem in a nutshell for online gambling. The government isn’t controlling it and isn’t profiting from it. Those dollars you spend online could be spent in a land based casino. The double standard… alive and well and living in the USA.

On February 16, 2007 the APCW announced a working partnership with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Webcom Network for the purposes of identifying and exploring the possibilities of using the charitable online gaming model as a means to bring online gaming back to America while at the same time creating a dedicated revenue stream for the Veterans Administration.

The potential of this alliance is enormous and if successful can be used to correct some of the political strip mining of US citizen rights and restore US Veteran benefits to their rightful place in our country. Politicians can back this type of legislation without personally approving of gambling whether online or land based; online gambling can be regulated and taxed, keeping the billions of dollars in the US and fill the coffers of a badly depleted and abused government department and the model for this type of legislation is already in place, fully sanctioned by the US government and successfully operating under the labels of lotteries that fund education and First Nation casinos that support Indian culture and communities.

But the really big winner in this type of legislation is the Veterans Administration. I speak from experience when talking about the frustration and disappointment our veterans feel when dealing with a department of our government so unprepared in resources and funding.

How is it possible that the military branch of our government that prides itself on being a superbly structured, disciplined, well oiled machine can not build and maintain an equally efficient and well funded system for the veterans who made them what they are?

A recent article published in the Washington Post ‘Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army’s Top Medical Facility’ underscores the deplorable conditions our battle scarred veterans face when they are returned home. The article is centered on Walter Reed Hospital, which has always been a centerpiece for military medicine, but this article could have been written about any one of hundreds of VA facilities in the US. VA funding has received cutback after cutback with more scheduled while the need for more and better facilities and manpower rises with every day’s involvement in Iraq.

The charitable online gaming structure applied to online gambling has the ability to heal all ills in the VA, or at least most of them. Unfortunately, poor leadership is not one of them.

Editor’s Note: On February 23, 2007 VFW Webcom released the following information:
“The preliminary report for the “Online Charity Gaming for Veterans” Initiative that was being prepared for membership under the direction of the Departments of Alabama, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia is all but complete.

We look forward to the review and input process by the membership, which could determine an interest in revisiting this issue in the future.”

I refer you back to the last paragraph of this article.

You know how rumors operate. Someone says something which is repeated by someone else and passed to another who in turn tells someone else. The trouble with rumors is that the original content very seldom stays intact along the way, not to mention the question of whether the original statement being rumored about was true.

But it’s beyond me at this point to pass up the current rumor circulating regarding Congressman Barney Frank.

So here’s the deal… or rumor… Online-Casinos (www.online-casinos.com) reported as rumor that US Congressman Barney Frank, chairman of the Financial Services Committe in Congress, is considering a challenge to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) which was passed into law and signed by President Bush in October of last year.

Online-Casinos (www.online-casinos.com) reports that there is such a rumor floating about and, on a side note, it was possibe that on the strength of that rumor, online gambling shares listed on the London stock market got a small boost.

Confirmation of this rumor was attempted by UK business media, who contacted Congressman Frank’s office in Washington. They were told by an aide that although Frank was ‘not in favor’ of the restructions against online gambling, there was ‘nothing on the agenda right now’ to reverse the bill. He refused to say whether the Congressman was considering any action of this type.

Lincoln News Messenger (www.lincolnnewsmessenger.com)
By: William W. Grey, Fresno
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 5:41 PM PST

During the midnight hours as the Senate was preparing to adjourn for the elections, the Port Security Act was passed. Senator Bill Frist attached the Unlawful Internet Gambling enforcement Act (UIGEA) to Port Security Act. Most of the senators had voted and left the Senate floor, their knowledge of the attachment is questionable.

UIGEA does not prohibit online poker, but rather prohibits banks and credit card companies from using their services to fund online poker accounts.

The Senate’s handling of UIGEA has thousands and thousands of poker players upset. The Poker Player’s Alliance, located at pokerplayersalliance.org is joining together to change gaming legislation.

PPA seeks legislation exemption for poker from all gaming laws, permit companies to operate online poker sites in U.S. Sites to licensed and regulated for fairness of play, and taxed. I invite all players and friends to join PPA, and fight for poker.

EDMONTON JOURNAL
Curtis Stock, Journal Sports Writer
Published: Wednesday, February 21, 2007

EDMONTON — When it comes to betting on sports, it seems the gambling industry has left no stone unturned.

There are government-sanctioned Sport Select kiosks in virtually every corner store, casinos in every corner of the city and chances to bet on just about any horse race in the world at Edmonton Northlands. There are illegal book-makers more than willing to cater to the sports-betting junkie’s whims.

And then, of course, there’s the Internet, where bettors can wager on any sport at any time.
What governments around the world decide to do or not do about Internet gambling will help determine the future of betting on all levels of types of sporting events.

So with this kind of saturation, what more — or less — can the future bring?

The opinions of gambling researchers, industry insiders and government officials vary, although most believe that sorting out issues related to Internet wagering holds the key to determining which direction sports gambling ultimately heads…..

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT EDMONTON JOURNAL

KBTV.com
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Ysabel Bilbao/KTVB

BOISE — It is America’s hottest past time — the digital age has put poker back on top of the world.

Long gone are the days of smoke-filled basement poker nights. These days all you need is a computer, Internet access and a credit card.

But it’s illegal. So who is playing and who is watching? NewsChannel 7 investigates the online gambling craze.

Forget the poker face, this is about the mouse and the couch.

And it has caught fire on campus, at work and especially at home!….

“Internet gambling continues to grow at the rate of about $10 billlion a year.”…

“The FBI says all sports betting combined is a $120 billion industry, and that’s just in the U.S.”…

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT KBTV.com

Gambling 911 has reported that the Antiguan government is stepping in to assist in the debt collection process for monies owed to BetonSports which would then be used to pay BoS customers and employees.

It’s believed there was over a million dollars in company funds still within payment processors that would assist greatly in their goal of paying the debt owed by BoS. Other areas of collection where monies are still owed to BoS , at least on paper, is in advertising. Vendors, however, don’t seem to agree.

MARKETING WEEK
15-Feb-07

Flybe, the low cost airline, is providing its customers with a new on-line gambling service as part of its strategy to boost its ancillary services.

The service will allow visitors to the Flybe website to play games such a roulette and poker through the site. The service, which is a partnership with Finnish gaming operator PAF Group, launches this week.

As part of the deal, PAF will provide the gaming licence and access to the online games. The Finnish company will also handle the day-to-day running of the venture.

Simon Lilley, director of Marketing at Flybe, says: ” It is an example of Flybe’s continued efforts to build and improve our customer offering, through innovative partnerships with third parties.

“We are confident that our customers will enjoy and benefit from the offer of e-gaming entertainment via the Flybe website and expect other airlines to follow suit with similar deals.”

The launch is part of a strategy to develop a number of new products and services under the Flybe brand to help stimulate new revenue.

Last month, the airline launched Flybe Cruise, which offered its customers flying the opportunity to join cruise ships, like the QE2 and the Oriana (MW January 11 2007). It has also recently launched a flower delivery market (MW December 7).

It is also considering plans to launch a service to deliver duty free products to its customers after they return home.