Gibraltar-based online bookmaker has been forbidden to deliver online poker and gambling services to Israeli customers. The decision has been carried out in the Israeli court.

Victor Chandler’s activity was pretty mach ignored by the state. They were permitted to operate in a legal grey area. Gradually Israel has become the company’s second biggest market thanks to a huge marketing campaign including ads on billboards and buses, and a Hebrew website.

Since gambling in Israel like in many other European countries represents a state-run monopoly, it is clear that authorities have been annoyed by the fact of encroachment of foreign gambling companies.

The decision taken in the court clearly demonstrates unwillingness of Israeli authorities to give foreign companies an access to the gambling market in Israel. To prove that, here is what Judge Abraham Heiman said: “A foreign company operating an online gambling site may not hide behind the fact that the company and its servers sit in another country, and it is breaking the law if does not block access to Israelis”.

The feelings absorbing people during the 2007 Winter Poker Open at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, in the Event Centre, were more than excited. There were 40 players left after $500 buy-in event, Event 1.

In the end there were only three of them left: Tae Baik of Leonia, NJ; David Zhu of Scarbourough, Canada; Emad Alabsi of Wickliffe, Ohio. They have won the first, the second and the third places respectively.

The first place prize money amounted to $152,960. The second place finisher has taken home $95,900, and the third – $58,225. Besides, all the main event winners got Tag Heuer purchased from Bernie Robbins Fine Jewelry.

Baik comments: “I have played tournaments in Borgata’s new poker room before, but this is my first victory in a tournament of this magnitude”.

Alabsi says: “I always have fun when I’m playing poker here; Borgata offers a great atmosphere to play in”.

Vinny Procopio has also taken part in the event. He was the seventh to finish and very pleased with his result. His prize money made up $30,825.

This event is over, but still there are 28 opportunities, i.e. 28 Super Satellites and Second Chance Tournaments, left. There you can turn just $120 into thousands.

A new agreement has been recently signed in the casino world: the world’s leading provider of interactive gaming and betting solution, Orbis, and Parlay Entertainment – the leading Internet bingo solutions developer.

According to the agreement Orbis will have to provide games content to their new partner. If to be exact, designs and concepts owned by Orbis Open Bet Casino and Fixed Odds Games will be integrated into the back office system owned by Parlay Entertainment. As a result, classic casino games, popular fixed odds concepts and play-on-demand games such as Lucky Star (the total number of games is more than 50) will be accessible for Parlay.

“This partnership once again highlights the diversity and flexibility of our product portfolio and further reflects the move in the industry towards a more open approach,” – claims David Loveday, Managing Director, Orbis.

Parlay officials are very excited to have signed the agreement. They strongly believe in the new and exciting experience of their clients.  “…The real winners will be the players, since they will see more choice than ever before when playing at Parlay-powered bingo sites,” – said Peter Trinz, Senior Vice President, Parlay Entertainment.

Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc has entered a new stage of its development by having signed an agreement with Texas Pacific Group (TPG) and Apollo Management, L.P. According to the agreement, TPG and Apollo will get Harrah’s in “all-cash transaction valued at approximately $27.8 billion, including the assumption of approximately $10.7 billion of debt”.

The agreement has been approved by the Harrah’s Board of Directors. Their decision was based upon the recommendation given by a Special Committee of non-management directors who have thoroughly studied Harrah’s strategic alternatives. All the Harrah’s stockholders will get $90 in cash for each outstanding Harrah’s share.

The decision made by Harrah’s Entertainment does not mean the change in direction, but the change in management. So, the company are looking forward to it, their new development and goals.

David Bonderman, TPG founding partner, said, “We are delighted to be joining with the excellent management team at Harrah’s and our private equity partners to continue to build on the Company strong foundation. Taking a long-term perspective, we believe we will be able to help Harrah’s deliver on its growth strategy”.

Leon Black, founding partner of Apollo, said, “Harrah’s has an excellent brand name, strong cash flows, an impressive portfolio of properties, a very talented management team, and highly skilled employees. Together with our private equity partners, we look forward to building on Harrah’s successful track record of operational success…”

The transaction is supposed to be over in a year. Until its close Harrah’s is going to play its stockholders a regular quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share. In case the transaction is note completed, TPG and Apollo have agreed to raise “the purchase price at a rate of $0.01973 per day per Harrah’s common share beginning March 1, 2008”.

With the development of technology people expect more and more new features from their mobile phones and, of course, better service. Verizon Wireless is the company that is able to provide their clients with better service and to offer new features they will enjoy for sure. And having signed a 5-year, US $2 billion agreement, Nortel, to a great extent, will contribute to Verizona Wireless’ strive for improvements and expansion by supplying innovative CDMA mobile broadband technologies, switching, IP platforms, optical networking solutions, and necessary related equipment.

According to the opinion of Ed Salas, network planning vice president, Verizon Wireless, the agreement means true mobility for their customers. That will allow them to use their PC experience wherever the clients go. They will enjoy such things like “V CAST Music, V CAST video, great mobile games and high-speed file transfers on the nation’s best wireless network”.

Developing their partnership Verizona Wireless and Nortel together are able to deploy next-generation quality IMS-based applications and services, thus raising industry standards and defining an “IMS architecture that lays a foundation for the efficient roll-out of advanced services”.

Nortel has been Verizona Wireless’ partner for more than 10 years what proves Nortel’s leadership in the industry responsible for the supply of CDMA mobile broadband technologies and driving advanced communication services.

Bill Wright, COO of Gottaplay and General Manager of the Broadband Division claims that since Gottaplay Interactive Inc and its restructured Broadband business division have achieved great results, even better ones that they have expected.

The division is supposed to offer Internet connectivity and digital video to individuals, business, multi-family housing, various organizations, agencies, institutions and establishments, including educational and government ones in such states of the USA like Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.

The services provided by Gorraplay’s Broadband business division have proved to be high quality ones. With scalable Internet access, web hosting and development, equipment co-location, networking services they have an ambition to become a dominant Internet provider in underserved rural markets.

Fortune Lounge operating such casinos like Platinum Play Casino, 7 Sultans Casino and Royal Vegas is currently running a promotion known as the International Casino Games 2006/2007. By playing at the casinos mentioned, and taking part in weekly promotions and tournaments you have a great chance to win an amazing 7-night Mediterranean cruise aboard the “Costa Fortuna” ship. There you’ll participate in a final event – the onboard Slots tournament. The prize of the final is said to be $250,000 in cash!

As soon as you are aboard, get ready to get fun, enjoy the sun and gambling – all that will be accompanied by the beautiful views of Spain, Italy and France. This is the thing to fight for, as this year’s promotion has exceeded the heights and fun of the previous year Caribbean trip and final!

You haven’t participated in the promotion yet? There are several tournaments left before the end of the promotion. You have time to enter and win the chance of your lifetime. Go to the Fortune Lounge Casinos and be the one!

What’s going on the gambling market after signing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has both negative and positive sides. It’s obvious that the idea of leaving the US market by so many online casinos and gambling companies cannot but be negative. But the appearance of new ideas to attract customers to the casinos with the help of amazing promotions is but positive, as it works out in benefit of the players from all over the world.

Today, the casino world needs new customers more than ever. And what can be better than to attract them the way Belle Rock Gaming, the online gambling group, does. They are going to give away a Porsche Roadster in a lottery-like event. Every time a customer wagers 500 credits at Lucky Nugget and RiverBelle casinos operated by the group, he or she enters the drawing for the Porsche Roadster. Customers can accumulate their entries up to the 28th of January, while the drawing will take place at the beginning of January.

Something similar is undertaken by Casino on Net and other casinos. Their customers are collecting entries for different drawings. For example, Casino on Net players can win free money or hi-tech electronics.

So, as the promotions show, more and more people can win now and leave the casinos happy!