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Zynga took its first step in taking social gaming and gambling beyond Facebook last week with the launch of Zynga-com. The site launched with 5 games – Castleville, Words With Friends, CityVille, Hidden Chronicles and Zynga Poker. “We wanted it to be as easy and seamless as possible for players,” said John Schappert, Zynga’s chief operating officer. “We think it’s complementary to Facebook.” Players on Zynga-com can “friend” other people without having to share their Facebook profile information. Those connections, called “Z Friends,” see only one another’s game activity and are able to help one another complete their game quests.
The relationship between Zynga and Facebook is symbiotic. Though the social network commands an audience of more than 850 million active members, it relied on Zynga for 12% of its revenue last year, according to documents Facebook filed in conjunction with its initial public offering.
“Our goal is to connect the world through play and to eventually have 1 billion people play,” Schappert said. The company currently counts 240 million active monthly players.
Expect to see more social gambling on Zynga-com. With their own website platform, Zynga can decide the rules. This lessens Zynga’s reliance on Facebook’s online gambling rules, whatever they will be in the future. Zynga will now have leverage with Facebook that no other social gaming entity currently has.
Source: Zynga takes online gambling beyond Facebook
The relationship between Zynga and Facebook is symbiotic. Though the social network commands an audience of more than 850 million active members, it relied on Zynga for 12% of its revenue last year, according to documents Facebook filed in conjunction with its initial public offering.
“Our goal is to connect the world through play and to eventually have 1 billion people play,” Schappert said. The company currently counts 240 million active monthly players.
Expect to see more social gambling on Zynga-com. With their own website platform, Zynga can decide the rules. This lessens Zynga’s reliance on Facebook’s online gambling rules, whatever they will be in the future. Zynga will now have leverage with Facebook that no other social gaming entity currently has.
Source: Zynga takes online gambling beyond Facebook
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Noel Edmonds's hit tea-time TV show Deal or No Deal may be forced to air after the 9pm watershed amid claims it constitutes gambling.
The Gambling Commission is expected to warn Channel 4 that the programme could be breaking the law because it does not involve an element of skill. Non-skill games played for profit require a gambling licence.
ITV's Red Or Black?, presented by Ant and Dec and developed by Simon Cowell, is also said to be under investigation.
The shows could be subjected to tight restrictions on the type of advertising broadcast during breaks and the amount of pre-broadcast publicity.
They could even be forced to obtain a licence costing £60,000, and £30,000 to renew every year.
Meanwhile ITV plans to revive Bruce Forsyth’s perennial hit Play Your Cards Right have also been put on ice pending the outcome of the probe.
It is against the law to run non-skill games for money without a gambling licence – raising the extraordinary prospect of producers being jailed if they defy the warning. Channel 4 may then decide it would be simpler to cancel Deal Or No Deal, than be constrained by so many restrictions.
The programme, which has been presented by Edmonds since it was first broadcast in 2005, regularly attracts an audience of more than four million in its afternoon slot.
Viewers watch as contestants guess which of 22 identical sealed boxes contains the show’s elusive jackpot in what programme makers Endemol say is a contest of ‘instinct, gut feeling and luck’.
As boxes are opened, contestants decide whether to accept a cash offer from the mysterious Banker, or play on in the hope of increasing the offer, while running the risk of receiving a much lower prize.
However, a Government source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The Gambling Commission does not seem to think that there is any skill element to the show.
‘Even though at the beginning of the show, contestants do not have to stake any of their own money, the argument is that once they’ve picked a box, which could contain a lot of cash, in subsequent rounds they are in effect gambling with their own money,’
Separately, the Commission is also understood to have raised issues over Red Or Black?, where contestants win £1 million on the spin of a wheel.
The Commission has told the programme makers that the participants need to show more skill in winning the top prize to escape the need for a gaming licence – which would mean the end of the crucial roulette wheel. Regulators are also said to be concerned about the way the show ‘glamorises’ gambling.
The Mail on Sunday also understands that ITV is shelving plans to bring back the popular Eighties quiz show Play Your Cards Right, in which prizes are determined on the turn of a card, for the same reason.
Last night the move was met with bewilderment among game show bosses, who argue that rules created to control casinos and illegal betting should not be applied to entertainment programmes.
One senior broadcasting source, who has been fighting the probe behind the scenes, said: ‘This is an absolutely ridiculous state of affairs.
‘The Gambling Commission has no right to be poking its nose into what are harmless television programmes.
'How can anyone regard Deal Or No Deal as gambling?
'It is probably the most innocent show on television. I think its very telling that this programme is aired in 30 different countries but only in Britain has this become an issue.
‘You also have to look it from the point of broadcaster. They are already heavily regulated by Ofcom. Why on earth would they want to also come under the control of the Gambling Commission as well?
That means they would be answerable to two different regulators who would be looking into its affairs. The people who make Deal Or No Deal want to operate as a television production company not a casino.’
Simon Cowell’s spokesman, Max Clifford, said: ‘Simon wants to come up with the most exciting combination he can which remains within the rules. His view is that it is a light entertainment programme with a gambling element – not what the Commission is claiming.’
As well as restrictions on scheduling, advertising and trailers, any TV company whose shows fell under gambling rules would also need to prove to the Commission that its executives had an understanding of the complex laws and regulations surrounding the betting industry. This could force them to team up with a gambling company in order to employ the relevant expertise.
The expert said: ‘The gambling industry is the most stringently regulated industry in the UK because of the capacity for high level organised crime.
‘The Gambling Commission wants to make sure these shows are not enticing people to go out and gamble recklessly, and some programmes may fall into this category in their current format.
‘If a TV company was unwilling to change the format then they could be forced into a range of moves which would effectively kill off the show altogether.
‘The problem is this is an extremely complex area that is in danger of encroaching on harmless family entertainment. It will undoubtedly be a case of compromise for the shows in question, but if the Commission aren’t careful, we could see the end of several popular family game shows.’
A spokesman for the Gambling Commission refused to comment, saying it never talks about ‘individual’ cases.
However, he confirmed that the Commission was about to publish new guidance for television game shows.
He said: ‘In the first instance, we would contact the operator to discuss the situation, as compliance is always preferable over enforcement action.’
The Commission, which was set up as the independent regulator under the Gambling Act 2005, is required to keeping crime out of gambling, ensure gambling is conducted fairly and openly and protect children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
The spokesman declined to say how much
The Gambling Commission is expected to warn Channel 4 that the programme could be breaking the law because it does not involve an element of skill. Non-skill games played for profit require a gambling licence.
ITV's Red Or Black?, presented by Ant and Dec and developed by Simon Cowell, is also said to be under investigation.
The shows could be subjected to tight restrictions on the type of advertising broadcast during breaks and the amount of pre-broadcast publicity.
They could even be forced to obtain a licence costing £60,000, and £30,000 to renew every year.
Meanwhile ITV plans to revive Bruce Forsyth’s perennial hit Play Your Cards Right have also been put on ice pending the outcome of the probe.
It is against the law to run non-skill games for money without a gambling licence – raising the extraordinary prospect of producers being jailed if they defy the warning. Channel 4 may then decide it would be simpler to cancel Deal Or No Deal, than be constrained by so many restrictions.
The programme, which has been presented by Edmonds since it was first broadcast in 2005, regularly attracts an audience of more than four million in its afternoon slot.
Viewers watch as contestants guess which of 22 identical sealed boxes contains the show’s elusive jackpot in what programme makers Endemol say is a contest of ‘instinct, gut feeling and luck’.
As boxes are opened, contestants decide whether to accept a cash offer from the mysterious Banker, or play on in the hope of increasing the offer, while running the risk of receiving a much lower prize.
However, a Government source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The Gambling Commission does not seem to think that there is any skill element to the show.
‘Even though at the beginning of the show, contestants do not have to stake any of their own money, the argument is that once they’ve picked a box, which could contain a lot of cash, in subsequent rounds they are in effect gambling with their own money,’
Separately, the Commission is also understood to have raised issues over Red Or Black?, where contestants win £1 million on the spin of a wheel.
The Commission has told the programme makers that the participants need to show more skill in winning the top prize to escape the need for a gaming licence – which would mean the end of the crucial roulette wheel. Regulators are also said to be concerned about the way the show ‘glamorises’ gambling.
The Mail on Sunday also understands that ITV is shelving plans to bring back the popular Eighties quiz show Play Your Cards Right, in which prizes are determined on the turn of a card, for the same reason.
Last night the move was met with bewilderment among game show bosses, who argue that rules created to control casinos and illegal betting should not be applied to entertainment programmes.
One senior broadcasting source, who has been fighting the probe behind the scenes, said: ‘This is an absolutely ridiculous state of affairs.
‘The Gambling Commission has no right to be poking its nose into what are harmless television programmes.
'How can anyone regard Deal Or No Deal as gambling?
'It is probably the most innocent show on television. I think its very telling that this programme is aired in 30 different countries but only in Britain has this become an issue.
‘You also have to look it from the point of broadcaster. They are already heavily regulated by Ofcom. Why on earth would they want to also come under the control of the Gambling Commission as well?
That means they would be answerable to two different regulators who would be looking into its affairs. The people who make Deal Or No Deal want to operate as a television production company not a casino.’
Simon Cowell’s spokesman, Max Clifford, said: ‘Simon wants to come up with the most exciting combination he can which remains within the rules. His view is that it is a light entertainment programme with a gambling element – not what the Commission is claiming.’
As well as restrictions on scheduling, advertising and trailers, any TV company whose shows fell under gambling rules would also need to prove to the Commission that its executives had an understanding of the complex laws and regulations surrounding the betting industry. This could force them to team up with a gambling company in order to employ the relevant expertise.
The expert said: ‘The gambling industry is the most stringently regulated industry in the UK because of the capacity for high level organised crime.
‘The Gambling Commission wants to make sure these shows are not enticing people to go out and gamble recklessly, and some programmes may fall into this category in their current format.
‘If a TV company was unwilling to change the format then they could be forced into a range of moves which would effectively kill off the show altogether.
‘The problem is this is an extremely complex area that is in danger of encroaching on harmless family entertainment. It will undoubtedly be a case of compromise for the shows in question, but if the Commission aren’t careful, we could see the end of several popular family game shows.’
A spokesman for the Gambling Commission refused to comment, saying it never talks about ‘individual’ cases.
However, he confirmed that the Commission was about to publish new guidance for television game shows.
He said: ‘In the first instance, we would contact the operator to discuss the situation, as compliance is always preferable over enforcement action.’
The Commission, which was set up as the independent regulator under the Gambling Act 2005, is required to keeping crime out of gambling, ensure gambling is conducted fairly and openly and protect children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
The spokesman declined to say how much
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
THE Star casino is confident it can resurrect its relationship with the state government despite a string of scandals that have seen its managing director sacked and the Premier's top adviser suspended.
Echo Entertainment CEO Larry Mullin said the scandals were "unfortunate" but that he believed he would be able to establish a positive relationship with Premier Barry O'Farrell, pointing to the $1 billion investment the company had invested in Sydney.
He said 80 per cent of The Star's investment was non-gambling related and wouldn't have been made had it not been committed to Sydney and working with the government.
"When I showed up here there was duct tape keeping the carpet together," he said.
"When you change out and change people out, you get reactions that don't get received well. There's a difference between how we have been perceived and what we are doing here. Yes, we are a casino, but we are something that is very much in the forefront for tourism.
"When was the last $1 billion investment in the state?
"Our actions speak for ourselves. The investment we made here was not made to be put at risk by anything."
He said Gail Furness's investigation into the scandals for the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority would also help mend the rift once her report was made public.
"I'll let the inquiry do the process," he said.
"I'm not going to sit here and say 'we're perfect' and if there are processes we have to improve on, we'll do it."
The scandal began when the The Star sacked managing director Sid Vaikunta on February 2 after two sexual harassment allegations, which he denies. But details unravelled after The Sunday Telegraph revealed one of the women was in a relationship with Mr O'Farrell's top media adviser, Peter Grimshaw.
It's alleged Mr Grimshaw plotted with his girlfriend, who was an HR executive at The Star, against Mr Vaikunta and also sent her a confidential government email.
Allegations that Mr Grimshaw led a sustained covert campaign against the casino, his former employer, have also been referred to the ICAC.
Mr Mullin went on to say he was unconcerned by Jamie Packer lobbying the Premier to allow a 35-storey hotel and casino in the proposed Barangaroo development.
"If someone came into my office and said I'm going to invest $1 billion, I'd be listening, and the Premier has a job to run the city as he sees fit." he said. "It's a terrific site and in 2010, when I was still at Tabcorp, we discussed doing something at Barangaroo with (Las Vegas and Macau casino tycoon) Steve Wynn."
Source: "Sydney needs us" - Casino boss says $1b investment should win O'Farrell | thetelegraph-com.au
Echo Entertainment CEO Larry Mullin said the scandals were "unfortunate" but that he believed he would be able to establish a positive relationship with Premier Barry O'Farrell, pointing to the $1 billion investment the company had invested in Sydney.
He said 80 per cent of The Star's investment was non-gambling related and wouldn't have been made had it not been committed to Sydney and working with the government.
"When I showed up here there was duct tape keeping the carpet together," he said.
"When you change out and change people out, you get reactions that don't get received well. There's a difference between how we have been perceived and what we are doing here. Yes, we are a casino, but we are something that is very much in the forefront for tourism.
"When was the last $1 billion investment in the state?
"Our actions speak for ourselves. The investment we made here was not made to be put at risk by anything."
He said Gail Furness's investigation into the scandals for the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority would also help mend the rift once her report was made public.
"I'll let the inquiry do the process," he said.
"I'm not going to sit here and say 'we're perfect' and if there are processes we have to improve on, we'll do it."
The scandal began when the The Star sacked managing director Sid Vaikunta on February 2 after two sexual harassment allegations, which he denies. But details unravelled after The Sunday Telegraph revealed one of the women was in a relationship with Mr O'Farrell's top media adviser, Peter Grimshaw.
It's alleged Mr Grimshaw plotted with his girlfriend, who was an HR executive at The Star, against Mr Vaikunta and also sent her a confidential government email.
Allegations that Mr Grimshaw led a sustained covert campaign against the casino, his former employer, have also been referred to the ICAC.
Mr Mullin went on to say he was unconcerned by Jamie Packer lobbying the Premier to allow a 35-storey hotel and casino in the proposed Barangaroo development.
"If someone came into my office and said I'm going to invest $1 billion, I'd be listening, and the Premier has a job to run the city as he sees fit." he said. "It's a terrific site and in 2010, when I was still at Tabcorp, we discussed doing something at Barangaroo with (Las Vegas and Macau casino tycoon) Steve Wynn."
Source: "Sydney needs us" - Casino boss says $1b investment should win O'Farrell | thetelegraph-com.au
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
SHAH ALAM, March 11 (Bernama) -- Police have arrested 26 foreign men and four local men who were indulging in cockfight gambling in a forest near the Padang Jawa Komuter Station, here today.
Selangor Contingent Police Headquarters Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) staff officer Deputy Supritendant Izwan Abd Karim said the 11.30am arrest was a result of investigations which revealed the men frequently gathered to carry out the activity on weekends.
He said they also detained a foreign woman who sold drinks to the gamblers at a stall nearby.
"We believe the gamblers put in bets up to RM1,000 for each fight," he said when contacted by Bernama here.
According to Izwan, police found 11 roosters used in the cockfight of which two died of injury.
"Besides cockfight gambling they were also found playing 'judi bola golek' and 'judi belangkas' based on the game sets found at the scene," he added.
Those arrested, aged between 26 and 50, are being investigated under Section 7 (1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Animals Ordinance 1962.
Source: 30 arrested for cockfight gambling | My Sinchew
Selangor Contingent Police Headquarters Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) staff officer Deputy Supritendant Izwan Abd Karim said the 11.30am arrest was a result of investigations which revealed the men frequently gathered to carry out the activity on weekends.
He said they also detained a foreign woman who sold drinks to the gamblers at a stall nearby.
"We believe the gamblers put in bets up to RM1,000 for each fight," he said when contacted by Bernama here.
According to Izwan, police found 11 roosters used in the cockfight of which two died of injury.
"Besides cockfight gambling they were also found playing 'judi bola golek' and 'judi belangkas' based on the game sets found at the scene," he added.
Those arrested, aged between 26 and 50, are being investigated under Section 7 (1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Animals Ordinance 1962.
Source: 30 arrested for cockfight gambling | My Sinchew
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- With casino gambling expanding in Maine, a new group's being formed to promote responsible gambling and generate awareness about the dangers of problem gambling.
A combination of private, state and non-profit groups, led by Maine's Office of Substance Abuse and the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, is involved in the effort.
Besides promoting responsible gaming, the group is encouraging people who may have a gambling addiction to seek treatment.
Hollywood Casino in Bangor, which has just expanded operations to include table games, is participating. Another casino, in Oxford, is to open this summer.
Source: WGME 13 :: News - National News
A combination of private, state and non-profit groups, led by Maine's Office of Substance Abuse and the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, is involved in the effort.
Besides promoting responsible gaming, the group is encouraging people who may have a gambling addiction to seek treatment.
Hollywood Casino in Bangor, which has just expanded operations to include table games, is participating. Another casino, in Oxford, is to open this summer.
Source: WGME 13 :: News - National News
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2006/12/07
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29893
TRENTON—In the race to approve Internet gambling, New Jersey lawmakers heard what they wanted to hear Monday from a Seton Hall law professor and expert on the state constitution.
John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn't believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal. Mr. Wefing said existing law gives the Legislature and the governor the power to decide what forms of gambling are appropriate for Atlantic City. That authority, he said, came from a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1976 that legalized casino gambling in New Jersey, and restricted it only to Atlantic City.
New Jersey wants to let its residents gamble online as long as they are within the state's borders. But Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a law last year that would have done so, citing concern about its constitutionality.
A key question is whether having the computer servers in Atlantic City would satisfy state law requiring all casino gambling to take place in Atlantic City.
"It is permissible to expand gambling in Atlantic City if the gambling is actually taking place in Atlantic City," Mr. Wefing testified.
Supporters note that the computer servers that actually process and accept bets would all be located in Atlantic City, either on casino property or in a remote location somewhere within the city limits.
On Monday, Mr. Christie said he could conceivably sign a bill approving Internet gambling without a referendum, as long as the state attorney general's office and other legal authorities he has consulted say it would be OK.
Source: Testimony Boosts - WSJ-com
John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn't believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal. Mr. Wefing said existing law gives the Legislature and the governor the power to decide what forms of gambling are appropriate for Atlantic City. That authority, he said, came from a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1976 that legalized casino gambling in New Jersey, and restricted it only to Atlantic City.
New Jersey wants to let its residents gamble online as long as they are within the state's borders. But Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a law last year that would have done so, citing concern about its constitutionality.
A key question is whether having the computer servers in Atlantic City would satisfy state law requiring all casino gambling to take place in Atlantic City.
"It is permissible to expand gambling in Atlantic City if the gambling is actually taking place in Atlantic City," Mr. Wefing testified.
Supporters note that the computer servers that actually process and accept bets would all be located in Atlantic City, either on casino property or in a remote location somewhere within the city limits.
On Monday, Mr. Christie said he could conceivably sign a bill approving Internet gambling without a referendum, as long as the state attorney general's office and other legal authorities he has consulted say it would be OK.
Source: Testimony Boosts - WSJ-com
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2006/12/07
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29893
Picture yourself rolling into Toronto along the Gardiner Expressway, passing the Lakeshore exits and CNE signs, right beside the large new sign for Casino Toronto. Sound unlikely? It’s one of the ideas being floated with the confluence of two events — the shuttering of Ontario Place while it is reinvented, and news from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. that it is interested in a new, state-of-the-art casino in the GTA.
That’s just one high-profile example of changes proposed by OLG and approved by the provincial government. We can also expect more options for people wanting to buy lottery tickets — look for more opportunities to buy in your favourite big box store and supermarket. OLG also plans to develop an online gaming platform to capture part of the market now flowing to offshore gambling sites. It wants to install slot machines in venues other than horse racing facilities. It wants to move 6,000 OLG jobs to the private sector and become more of an oversight and policy body as opposed to a tactical engine.
What’s good and bad about all this? First, OLG is right to be bold and proactive about its business strategy. The gambling landscape has changed, and not in a good way for the corporation. Although eight million — about 80 per cent — of the adult population in Ontario played lotteries last year, the profit level from OLG to the province has dropped by 0.6 per cent since 2006. Given that OLG pays the pays the province $1.7 billion to $2 billion every year, that’s not insignificant. United States border-crossing visits have dropped precipitously, down 70 per cent since 2002. Too many of OLG’s 27 sites suffer from weak attendance, which is why some will close.
What’s not good about it? That can be summed up in two words: More gambling. On the ethical and moral question of the government’s involvement in gambling, the barn door is already wide open, and the horse is a speck on the horizon. But that doesn’t mean we have to be fatalistic about the spread of gambling, or adopt a laissez-faire approach to the problems it causes or exacerbates. OLG and gambling defenders are quick to cite Ontario’s commitment to prevention and treatment of problem gambling. Fair enough. We’re all aware of high-profile cases of gambling addiction, many of which have been related to criminal acts. But how many don’t we know about? How many times have bad decisions been made, how many families have suffered because of them?
Gambling, tobacco and alcohol have this in common: They’re addictive to many users, and even more so to governments that cannot stop once they’ve had a taste of what gambling, smoking and drinking buys, especially in hard times when revenue is at a premium. Two billion dollars a year buys recreation centres, libraries and other positive community assets. But does that mean another spurt of gambling growth is a good thing? Or is the government gambling that the short-term benefits and fiscal relief outweigh the longer-term negative impacts?
Source: TheSpec - Get ready, more gambling is on the way
That’s just one high-profile example of changes proposed by OLG and approved by the provincial government. We can also expect more options for people wanting to buy lottery tickets — look for more opportunities to buy in your favourite big box store and supermarket. OLG also plans to develop an online gaming platform to capture part of the market now flowing to offshore gambling sites. It wants to install slot machines in venues other than horse racing facilities. It wants to move 6,000 OLG jobs to the private sector and become more of an oversight and policy body as opposed to a tactical engine.
What’s good and bad about all this? First, OLG is right to be bold and proactive about its business strategy. The gambling landscape has changed, and not in a good way for the corporation. Although eight million — about 80 per cent — of the adult population in Ontario played lotteries last year, the profit level from OLG to the province has dropped by 0.6 per cent since 2006. Given that OLG pays the pays the province $1.7 billion to $2 billion every year, that’s not insignificant. United States border-crossing visits have dropped precipitously, down 70 per cent since 2002. Too many of OLG’s 27 sites suffer from weak attendance, which is why some will close.
What’s not good about it? That can be summed up in two words: More gambling. On the ethical and moral question of the government’s involvement in gambling, the barn door is already wide open, and the horse is a speck on the horizon. But that doesn’t mean we have to be fatalistic about the spread of gambling, or adopt a laissez-faire approach to the problems it causes or exacerbates. OLG and gambling defenders are quick to cite Ontario’s commitment to prevention and treatment of problem gambling. Fair enough. We’re all aware of high-profile cases of gambling addiction, many of which have been related to criminal acts. But how many don’t we know about? How many times have bad decisions been made, how many families have suffered because of them?
Gambling, tobacco and alcohol have this in common: They’re addictive to many users, and even more so to governments that cannot stop once they’ve had a taste of what gambling, smoking and drinking buys, especially in hard times when revenue is at a premium. Two billion dollars a year buys recreation centres, libraries and other positive community assets. But does that mean another spurt of gambling growth is a good thing? Or is the government gambling that the short-term benefits and fiscal relief outweigh the longer-term negative impacts?
Source: TheSpec - Get ready, more gambling is on the way
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Prof: New Jersey voters don't need to approve Internet gambling; legislators & gov can do it
(AP) -- In the race to be the first to approve Internet gambling -- and dominate a potentially multi-billion-dollar market -- New Jersey lawmakers heard what they wanted to hear Monday from a Seton Hall law professor and expert on the state constitution.
John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn't believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal. Wefing said existing..
Source: Prof: NJ voters don't need to OK Internet betting
(AP) -- In the race to be the first to approve Internet gambling -- and dominate a potentially multi-billion-dollar market -- New Jersey lawmakers heard what they wanted to hear Monday from a Seton Hall law professor and expert on the state constitution.
John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn't believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal. Wefing said existing..
Source: Prof: NJ voters don't need to OK Internet betting
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
The online gambling industry has grown not only in size but in the quality of the experience. Surfing the internet has become a past time for millions of people who use it for entertainment and commerce some even derive a living from the web. Online casinos need patrons to become engaged which in turn creates loyalty and demand for a high quality experience that excels above others.
The need for the gambling web site to present content that makes the consumer feel that they are spending their time wisely is becoming more important as the industry matures and responds to the growing demand. Advertizing reflects that need for a targeted response to the competition and retention of the customer. Enter the affiliate marketer who over the past several years has become better at the job of getting results and maintaining certain standards of excellence. Some affiliates have shown they can be top notch professionals that look at their role within the internet gambling community as an essential part of the process.
Today affiliate staff specialize in specific areas such as Search Engine Optimization, content, design, commercial partnerships and the biggest trend today social media content. As today’s standards for quality content continue to get higher so does the demand for more professionalism in the affiliate world. Web sites can not take for granted this trend towards a more intelligent audience with a certain amount of experience and knowledge.
Operators are paying more attention to getting the word out there on their own and removing the sometimes costly middle man or affiliate marketing agency. The in house aspect can prove difficult because sometimes it’s difficult to see the real needs of a firm’s direction from close range. It can be hard as the saying goes to see the forest for the trees.
An example of an independent affiliate who has been thriving in the changing world is Casinomeister which has since 1998 been evolving and growing with the right moves. Bryan Bailey founder of the company says of the changing times,”Nowadays people won’t have a casino on their site unless their promised more like 30%.”
Source: Affiliates for Online Gambling Becoming More Sophisticated
The need for the gambling web site to present content that makes the consumer feel that they are spending their time wisely is becoming more important as the industry matures and responds to the growing demand. Advertizing reflects that need for a targeted response to the competition and retention of the customer. Enter the affiliate marketer who over the past several years has become better at the job of getting results and maintaining certain standards of excellence. Some affiliates have shown they can be top notch professionals that look at their role within the internet gambling community as an essential part of the process.
Today affiliate staff specialize in specific areas such as Search Engine Optimization, content, design, commercial partnerships and the biggest trend today social media content. As today’s standards for quality content continue to get higher so does the demand for more professionalism in the affiliate world. Web sites can not take for granted this trend towards a more intelligent audience with a certain amount of experience and knowledge.
Operators are paying more attention to getting the word out there on their own and removing the sometimes costly middle man or affiliate marketing agency. The in house aspect can prove difficult because sometimes it’s difficult to see the real needs of a firm’s direction from close range. It can be hard as the saying goes to see the forest for the trees.
An example of an independent affiliate who has been thriving in the changing world is Casinomeister which has since 1998 been evolving and growing with the right moves. Bryan Bailey founder of the company says of the changing times,”Nowadays people won’t have a casino on their site unless their promised more like 30%.”
Source: Affiliates for Online Gambling Becoming More Sophisticated
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2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
South African punters are getting confused as the government keeps sending messages that indicate they want to regulate online gambling but not just yet. The vacillating officials of the country just don’t seem to have a handle on the situation.
The Gambling Review Commission has come out with a recommendation that a policy regulating online gambling should be implemented and recently the National Assembly’s Trade and Industry Oversight Committee continued to push the Department of Trade and Industry to propose some kind of legislation that recognizes the fact that prohibiting online betting in South Africa has little effect on the number of punters using offshore web services for gambling and that the delay in policy revisions is costing the country large in terms of lost revenues that could be had by taxation and regulation.
The Oversight Committee recommended that specific forms of online gambling, including slots, casino games, bingo, sports betting and the Tote be regulated and taxed. Not included in the recommendations were poker, exchange wagering, and two peer-to-peer forms of betting that the Financial Intelligence Centre has identified as potential vehicles for money laundering. A consultant for the South African government has recommended a manageable “four or five” licenses be issued “under very strict compliance methods, ” for a maximum period of eight years.
There is an interesting parallel stance observed in the USA where some states are passionately attempting to keep their laws governing online gambling to themselves. Speaking to a parliamentary committee recently Deputy Director Zodwa Ntuli of the Department of Trade and Industry was voicing the same observations that American Gaming Association Chairperson Frank Fahrenkopf stated, “There isn’t any alignment … If we have laws in different provinces which are completely diverse, it also has the potential to increase the cost of compliance for operators … [which]actually results in uncertainty.” Yes it sounds familiar even to Europeans who see Germany and other diverse views on the issue of regulation colliding with dire consequences.
Source: South African Online Gambling Proposals Still Creating Uncertainty
The Gambling Review Commission has come out with a recommendation that a policy regulating online gambling should be implemented and recently the National Assembly’s Trade and Industry Oversight Committee continued to push the Department of Trade and Industry to propose some kind of legislation that recognizes the fact that prohibiting online betting in South Africa has little effect on the number of punters using offshore web services for gambling and that the delay in policy revisions is costing the country large in terms of lost revenues that could be had by taxation and regulation.
The Oversight Committee recommended that specific forms of online gambling, including slots, casino games, bingo, sports betting and the Tote be regulated and taxed. Not included in the recommendations were poker, exchange wagering, and two peer-to-peer forms of betting that the Financial Intelligence Centre has identified as potential vehicles for money laundering. A consultant for the South African government has recommended a manageable “four or five” licenses be issued “under very strict compliance methods, ” for a maximum period of eight years.
There is an interesting parallel stance observed in the USA where some states are passionately attempting to keep their laws governing online gambling to themselves. Speaking to a parliamentary committee recently Deputy Director Zodwa Ntuli of the Department of Trade and Industry was voicing the same observations that American Gaming Association Chairperson Frank Fahrenkopf stated, “There isn’t any alignment … If we have laws in different provinces which are completely diverse, it also has the potential to increase the cost of compliance for operators … [which]actually results in uncertainty.” Yes it sounds familiar even to Europeans who see Germany and other diverse views on the issue of regulation colliding with dire consequences.
Source: South African Online Gambling Proposals Still Creating Uncertainty
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Two major online gambling companies have set up shop in Italy recently, after the country was deemed one of the most suitable places to set up online gambling businesses that will grow rapidly, casino gambling news reports.
Paddy Power and Prima Networks are just two of the many online gambling companies that have either moved into, or are planning of moving into the Italian gaming market recently. Irish sportsbook Paddy Power, addressed this week that it will continue to expand its business in Italy, following on a seventeen percent raise in revenue last year, up to almost five hundred million Euros. Prima Networks have also agreed a deal to host a new Italian online casino.
This casino which will run under the name of Betflag will be housing online casino games and offer such traditional games as poker and online blackjack, in addition to more modern video poker slots and other interactive games.
Betflag is officially licensed by Italian gaming heavyweights AAMS, though its parents company with a Maltese license. As reported, many of the major powerhouses of online gambling are adopting a similar Casino Strategy, by moving into the Italian market. Many of those big companies either have already secured or are in the process of securing licenses of their own, so they too can share in the wealthy and lucrative Italian cash pot.
Despite this, Italy is still revising its own gambling laws, and consumer groups are hoping for a quick fix to any remaining gambling issues that may occur. It was just last month that Italy was ridiculed for denying licenses to several foreign based gambling companies, and told that it did not have the authority to do so.
With the addition of Paddy Power and Prima Networks to the roster, it seems that Italians have understood and accepted the European Court Of Justice’s ruling, and are making rapid headway on rectifying their former stance on the matter.
Source: Italy Is Positively Full Of Opportunities For Online Gaming Companies | Blackjack Champ
Paddy Power and Prima Networks are just two of the many online gambling companies that have either moved into, or are planning of moving into the Italian gaming market recently. Irish sportsbook Paddy Power, addressed this week that it will continue to expand its business in Italy, following on a seventeen percent raise in revenue last year, up to almost five hundred million Euros. Prima Networks have also agreed a deal to host a new Italian online casino.
This casino which will run under the name of Betflag will be housing online casino games and offer such traditional games as poker and online blackjack, in addition to more modern video poker slots and other interactive games.
Betflag is officially licensed by Italian gaming heavyweights AAMS, though its parents company with a Maltese license. As reported, many of the major powerhouses of online gambling are adopting a similar Casino Strategy, by moving into the Italian market. Many of those big companies either have already secured or are in the process of securing licenses of their own, so they too can share in the wealthy and lucrative Italian cash pot.
Despite this, Italy is still revising its own gambling laws, and consumer groups are hoping for a quick fix to any remaining gambling issues that may occur. It was just last month that Italy was ridiculed for denying licenses to several foreign based gambling companies, and told that it did not have the authority to do so.
With the addition of Paddy Power and Prima Networks to the roster, it seems that Italians have understood and accepted the European Court Of Justice’s ruling, and are making rapid headway on rectifying their former stance on the matter.
Source: Italy Is Positively Full Of Opportunities For Online Gaming Companies | Blackjack Champ
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William Hill will begin talks with Playtech this month to salvage the companies’ online joint venture following a breakdown in relations last year.
Executives from the high street gambling operator and Tel Aviv-based Playtech, which owns 29 per cent of William Hill Online, will meet to discuss whether to end their joint venture or find “a third way” according to a person familiar with the situation. High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email [email]ftsales-support@ft-com[/email] to buy additional rights. W Hill to start talks with Playtech - FT-com
Mor Weizer, Playtech’s chief executive, said he was looking forward to discussions “as soon as possible”.
“It is imperative that all options are explored, including structural changes to the joint venture, something we are not opposed to,” he said.
William Hill wants strategic control over the fastest growing division in its business by ending Playtech’s veto over acquisitions and obtaining a commitment from the company not to work with high street rivals Ladbrokes.
In February 2011 William Hill took out an interim injunction to prevent Playtech from selling its stake in WHO. Later it pulled out of a deal to to buy Probability, a mobile betting operator, after being vetoed by Playtech.
William Hill has until November to activate a call option to end the partnership which could see it buying out Playtech’s stake at a price to be determined by a panel of three banks.
A 2012 valuation report prepared by UBS, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan valued Playtech’s stake at £354m, raising questions about whether William Hill would have to raise extra capital for a buy out.
Playtech has been William Hill’s online partner since 2008 when it paid €250m for its stake in WHO in return for providing the software for online casino and poker games and the personnel to drive customers to WHO.
Since then WHO has since become one of the biggest online gambling operations in Europe.
In its 2011 annual results released last month, WHO accounted for more than a third of the company’s £275.7m adjusted operating profit.
But the partnership has been strained.
Last September, WHO staff in Tel Aviv staged a wildcat strike, forcing Ralph Topping, William Hill’s chief executive, to fly to Israel to deal with a dispute over allegations that William Hill planned to relocate WHO’s operations from there to its base in Gibraltar.
Playtech supplies software to gambling rivals including Gala Coral, Betfred and Paddy Power. However, last year William Hill took Playtech to court amid rumours of talks between Playtech and Ladbrokes.
A person close to the company said Playtech had “more than one competitor knocking on its doorstep” if William Hill terminated the joint venture.
Source: W Hill to start talks with Playtech - FT-com
Executives from the high street gambling operator and Tel Aviv-based Playtech, which owns 29 per cent of William Hill Online, will meet to discuss whether to end their joint venture or find “a third way” according to a person familiar with the situation. High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email [email]ftsales-support@ft-com[/email] to buy additional rights. W Hill to start talks with Playtech - FT-com
Mor Weizer, Playtech’s chief executive, said he was looking forward to discussions “as soon as possible”.
“It is imperative that all options are explored, including structural changes to the joint venture, something we are not opposed to,” he said.
William Hill wants strategic control over the fastest growing division in its business by ending Playtech’s veto over acquisitions and obtaining a commitment from the company not to work with high street rivals Ladbrokes.
In February 2011 William Hill took out an interim injunction to prevent Playtech from selling its stake in WHO. Later it pulled out of a deal to to buy Probability, a mobile betting operator, after being vetoed by Playtech.
William Hill has until November to activate a call option to end the partnership which could see it buying out Playtech’s stake at a price to be determined by a panel of three banks.
A 2012 valuation report prepared by UBS, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan valued Playtech’s stake at £354m, raising questions about whether William Hill would have to raise extra capital for a buy out.
Playtech has been William Hill’s online partner since 2008 when it paid €250m for its stake in WHO in return for providing the software for online casino and poker games and the personnel to drive customers to WHO.
Since then WHO has since become one of the biggest online gambling operations in Europe.
In its 2011 annual results released last month, WHO accounted for more than a third of the company’s £275.7m adjusted operating profit.
But the partnership has been strained.
Last September, WHO staff in Tel Aviv staged a wildcat strike, forcing Ralph Topping, William Hill’s chief executive, to fly to Israel to deal with a dispute over allegations that William Hill planned to relocate WHO’s operations from there to its base in Gibraltar.
Playtech supplies software to gambling rivals including Gala Coral, Betfred and Paddy Power. However, last year William Hill took Playtech to court amid rumours of talks between Playtech and Ladbrokes.
A person close to the company said Playtech had “more than one competitor knocking on its doorstep” if William Hill terminated the joint venture.
Source: W Hill to start talks with Playtech - FT-com
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Newt Gingrich
“Super Tuesday” was expected to essentially clinch the Republican nomination for Mitt Romney and while the Massachusetts governor continues to lead the way, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich continue to have a say as Tuesday’s primaries in Alabama and Mississippi approach
Join Bovada Sportsbook right now and make your Presidential vote count today.
Gingrich, from Georgia, is actually the favorite at Bovada Sportsbook to take Alabama, although Romney isn’t far behind and Santorum has some support there as well. Some polls are reporting that there is a margin of 2-3 points between the three with Gingrich on top, so this is one of those races that could come down to the wire.
Odds to win the Alabama Primary
Mitt Romney +150
Newt Gingrich +125
Rick Santorum +250
Ron Paul +5000
Odds to win the Mississippi Primary
Mitt Romney -110
Newt Gingrich +110
Rick Santorum +700
Ron Paul +5000
Romney is the frontrunner in Mississippi but Gingrich and Pennsylvania’s Santorum are lurking behind him with roughly 27% support to Romney’s 35%, and he may have to take advantage of this state because it could go either way in Alabama, where Gingrich has made a late run and will be a factor on Tuesday.
Right now, Romney has won 14 states and has 393 delegates to eight states and 133 delegates for Santorum. Gingrich has 110 delegates and two states while Texas’ Ron Paul is all but out with no states and 24 delegates. It is a three-horse race now but Romney has a commanding lead. If anything, he should continue to cheer for a battle between Gingrich and Santorum to keep splitting votes, but Gingrich is expected to pick up more than a few votes throughout the Deep South portion of the Republican race and Santorum isn’t going to go away easily. Romney needs to win either Alabama or Mississippi to solidify his status as the GOP favorite and it would be a fantastic birthday gift after celebrating his 65th birthday on Monday.
Source: Gingrich Has Traction In Southern States As GOP Race Continues | Gambling Beat News
“Super Tuesday” was expected to essentially clinch the Republican nomination for Mitt Romney and while the Massachusetts governor continues to lead the way, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich continue to have a say as Tuesday’s primaries in Alabama and Mississippi approach
Join Bovada Sportsbook right now and make your Presidential vote count today.
Gingrich, from Georgia, is actually the favorite at Bovada Sportsbook to take Alabama, although Romney isn’t far behind and Santorum has some support there as well. Some polls are reporting that there is a margin of 2-3 points between the three with Gingrich on top, so this is one of those races that could come down to the wire.
Odds to win the Alabama Primary
Mitt Romney +150
Newt Gingrich +125
Rick Santorum +250
Ron Paul +5000
Odds to win the Mississippi Primary
Mitt Romney -110
Newt Gingrich +110
Rick Santorum +700
Ron Paul +5000
Romney is the frontrunner in Mississippi but Gingrich and Pennsylvania’s Santorum are lurking behind him with roughly 27% support to Romney’s 35%, and he may have to take advantage of this state because it could go either way in Alabama, where Gingrich has made a late run and will be a factor on Tuesday.
Right now, Romney has won 14 states and has 393 delegates to eight states and 133 delegates for Santorum. Gingrich has 110 delegates and two states while Texas’ Ron Paul is all but out with no states and 24 delegates. It is a three-horse race now but Romney has a commanding lead. If anything, he should continue to cheer for a battle between Gingrich and Santorum to keep splitting votes, but Gingrich is expected to pick up more than a few votes throughout the Deep South portion of the Republican race and Santorum isn’t going to go away easily. Romney needs to win either Alabama or Mississippi to solidify his status as the GOP favorite and it would be a fantastic birthday gift after celebrating his 65th birthday on Monday.
Source: Gingrich Has Traction In Southern States As GOP Race Continues | Gambling Beat News
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In the race to be the first to approve Internet gambling and dominate a potentially multi-billion-dollar market New Jersey lawmakers heard what they wanted to hear Monday from a Seton Hall law professor and expert on the state constitution.
John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn't believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal. Wefing said existing law gives the Legislature and the governor the power to decide what forms of gambling are appropriate for Atlantic City. That authority, he said, came from a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1976 that legalized casino gambling in New Jersey, and restricted it only to Atlantic City.
Read more: Prof: NJ voters don't need to OK Internet betting | WSLS 10
John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn't believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal. Wefing said existing law gives the Legislature and the governor the power to decide what forms of gambling are appropriate for Atlantic City. That authority, he said, came from a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1976 that legalized casino gambling in New Jersey, and restricted it only to Atlantic City.
Read more: Prof: NJ voters don't need to OK Internet betting | WSLS 10
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2006/12/07
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Prop bets as they are known can be fun but are risky, not only for customer but also for the operators that want to take the bets. A recent situation developed with the wagering on the new Apple iPad. Wagers were placed by consumers who a predicting with money on the line which features the iPad will offer and how many of them will actually appear on the tech gadget when it is released.
Sky Bet an online betting site went all out to satisfy the debaters need to punt. Customers were given the chance to place bets using their new technology through their online site and the Sky Bet mobile application.
Read more: iPad Prop Wagers Sees Online Gambling's Sky Bet Take a Bashing
Sky Bet an online betting site went all out to satisfy the debaters need to punt. Customers were given the chance to place bets using their new technology through their online site and the Sky Bet mobile application.
Read more: iPad Prop Wagers Sees Online Gambling's Sky Bet Take a Bashing
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Last week's indictment proceeding against Canadian-born Calvin Ayre in the United States along with the seizure of his defunct Bodog-com has once again raised the question often asked in Canada. When the authorities in the United States have gone to such extremes to act against offshore online gambling then why have the Canadian authorities adopted a more tolerant attitude. In Canada, only provincial governments can operate online gambling sites and there are very few that are actually doing so. At the same time there are about 2,000 offshore online casinos and poker rooms being accessed by Canadians. These online gambling sites specifically target Canadian players, and are making a lot of money without paying taxes in Canada. The amount wagered at these sites has been estimated at 4 billion Canadian dollars per year.
Read more: Canadian Response to Offshore Online Gambling
Read more: Canadian Response to Offshore Online Gambling
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In a bit of good news for online poker players in the United States, the American Gaming Association announced recently that it wants to advance regulation of online poker and gambling this year.
Read more: Top U.S. Gaming Lobby to Push for Online Poker Regulation in 2012
Read more: Top U.S. Gaming Lobby to Push for Online Poker Regulation in 2012
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U.S. Congressional candidate Utah Rep. Stephen Sandstrom ended the Utah legislative session yesterday on a high note with four key legislative wins, making his 2012 public service commitment to Utah constituents both productive and patriotic.
Read More: Productive & Patriotic 2012 Legislative Session for U.S. Congressional Candidate Utah Rep. Stephen Sandstrom - Business Review USA
Read More: Productive & Patriotic 2012 Legislative Session for U.S. Congressional Candidate Utah Rep. Stephen Sandstrom - Business Review USA
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Cities — including Hamilton — will help shape the future of gambling in their communities during a massive shakeup of gaming operations in Ontario.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced the broad strokes of its plans to modernize its operations Monday, including introducing online gaming, building a new casino somewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, expanding into new areas and closing several money-losing operations.
Read More: TheSpec - Massive gambling and lottery shakeup coming
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced the broad strokes of its plans to modernize its operations Monday, including introducing online gaming, building a new casino somewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, expanding into new areas and closing several money-losing operations.
Read More: TheSpec - Massive gambling and lottery shakeup coming
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I'm a reporter with Village Voice media, a chain of weekly newspapers across the country. We're doing an in-depth story on military veterans and active-duty service members who have fallen prey to gambling addictions. Recent studies have shown that gambling addiction affects veterans at twice the rate of civilians. I'm trying to reach out to men and women from all branches of the military who've developed a gambling addiction and might be willing to share their stories with us. They're free to speak to me either on the record, or under the strict agreement that their names not be published.
Those people interested in speaking to me may email me at [email][email protected][/email] to set up a time to talk, or just call me at 314-754-6414. We think this is an important story about the brave men and women who serve our country.
John H. Tucker