Category Archives: Gambling News

Attempt to Reverse Shrinking Market

Leave a reply

Sportech, a football pool site, attempting to attract a younger market and enlarge a customer base, has partnered with 888 – industry giant.

In the opinion of industry experts, this deal is a massive move for Sportech. In accordance with the agreement, Sportech’s New Football Pools games have to compromise the historic Littlewoods, Vernons and Zetters brands, marketed across all of 888’s online gaming sites.

Sportech Chief Executive Ian Penrose said: “This is a strong strategic partnership for Sportech. This fits exactly with our strategy of reinvigorating the pools business and delivering an enhanced and modern product for today’s gaming customers.”

888’s C.E. Gigi Levi called the deal a “milestone agreement”.

Will Tennis Rid Itself of Shady Influences?

1 Reply

The Association of Tennis Professionals is fed up with the scandal from its sport after a series of online gambling debacles involving questionable matches. It was revealed that many players had heard or had information that players were often approached to throw matches. More than 45 matches have been identified as suspicious. Many of the players involved in suspect matches are international stars.

To solve the problem, first, the Association decided to form an agency investigating corruption, and second, strict new rules to curb match fixing will be enforced.

If players are involved in illegal gambling, the Association may ban them from three years to lifetime. Besides, fines exceeding $50,000 will be applied.

In case of a revealed attempt or invitation to fix matches, players will face harsh consequences.

Players, trainers, coaches, and all family members will be barred from any form of tennis wagering.

The association is increasing the number of security guards at tennis sites and in locker rooms. Access to players will be limited. Match information will be guarded until released to the public.

Casino Owners and Players Have Huge Hearts

Leave a reply

BackgammonMasters.com players will participate in backgammon and blackjack tournaments where all of the prize money will go to the UNICEF organization whose main focus of attention and assistance is on child victims of the earthquakes in China.

As the site claims, they’ll match $5 for every $1 donated from month’s worth of tournament buy-ins ranging from $4.50 to $200. The offer has been called really generous. Thus, e.g. PokerStars offered to match a dollar for a dollar.

Backgammon and blackjack tournaments will be offered all month long, around the clock, so that members could register and start playing for this great cause. Additional winnings can also be added to special donation accounts set up for each player by Backgammon Masters in the cashier.

Sponsorship Program as a Way of Giving Back to Charities

1 Reply

The charity league sponsorship program has been recently announced by Flop2River.com. The idea of the program sprang from a customer in Chicago area who was creating a business focused on creating poker tournaments for charities on their local area.

“The premise behind the program is to help new charity leagues procure the correct equipment up front for the charity event”. To give back to charities, larger leagues can qualify for the “Final Table” sponsorship – the final and most interesting part of the program.

With the help of the program, new organizations can make sure that their equipment is properly marked and reliable; everything is properly assembled and shipped.

“We’ve spent a lot of time searching for quality manufacturers who can produce quality poker tables at a price that works for large event planners. It also feels great to be able to give something back to charities as well in the form of final table sponsorship. It’s my favorite part of our business”, said Geoffrey F. Moore, managing partner of Flop2River.com.

By the way, pictures of the poker tables used for the final table sponsorship can be found at Flop2River.com.

Ireland Changing Casino Gambling Laws for Casino Gambling Regulation

Leave a reply

With online gambling getting more popular, many countries have come to the decision to remove their anti casino gambling laws and replace them with gambling regulation. Ireland is not an exception.

Dermot Ahern, the newly appointed Minister for Justice, Equity and Law Reform thinks the casino gambling laws have “past they sell-by date”. In Ahern’s opinion, it is becoming impossible to outlaw casino gambling sites entirely. So, proper regulation is required. But the minister is not going to act hurriedly. First, he feels there is need “to consult with the public and develop cross-party agreement”.

A Casino Regulatory Committee has already produced a report on online casino gambling, though it has not been released yet and there have been no plans made for the regulation of online casino gambling.

France Agrees to Controlled Opening of Gaming Sector

Leave a reply

France is reported to start issuing authorization for online betting operators from the second half of 2009. The decision followed the meeting between Budget Minister Eric Woerth and International Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy where they discussed proposals that would avert court action against France by the EU over restrictions on online gambling.

Whether legal proceeding will be suspended, it’s not clear yet. The French government should send detailed provisions to EU authorities. To notice, the share of revenues from the gambling sector has been put at 5.3 billion euros ($8.27 billion).

“Regarding horse racing, only parimutuel betting will be allowed,” Woerth said. The term “pari-mutuel” refers to the system in which the total sum bet on a race is placed in a pool and the final prize is not set until all bets are placed.

“For other forms of sports betting, we will hold discussions with leagues and federations. There, we will not have parimutuel betting but fixed odds betting,” he said. (Fixed odds betting is a system in which the prize is agreed before bets are placed.). Woerth added: “We also want to open up casino games like poker but also roulette or black jack.

Woerth said: “Licenses would require minors to be prevented from betting and would contain strong protection for gamblers given the risk of addiction, as well as restrictions on advertising and controls against money laundering”.

Huge Sale in Swedish Gaming Market

Leave a reply

The potential buyers of the Svenska Spel gaming monopoly are welcome. The government is selling off the parts of the monopoly. The games that are less likely to lead to gambling addiction are on sale.

The government’s gaming commission is working on modernizing and strengthening Sweden’s gaming regulations. The gaming commission is also responsible for the examination of various gaming companies and making decisions whether to allow these companies to participate in the market or not.

As for the sale itself, the gaming commission has to judge whether the sale is appropriate from the point of social protection aspects and Sweden’s obligations under EU law.

Is Charles Barkley a Bankrupt?

Leave a reply

It is reported that Charles Barkley has not settled his gambling debt with Wynn Resorts. Having lost money playing high-stakes card games and sports betting, Barkley owes the casino $400,000.

After the public promise last week to pay the debt immediately, Charles Barkley has not made any payment yet.

Some people suppose Barkley is on the edge of bankruptcy, but there is no proof. Still, there must be some financial crisis in his private life, especially if to take into consideration the fact that he has spent approximately $50 million in gambling losses.

Las Vegas District Attorney David Roger has promised to file a criminal complaint if Barkley doesn’t pay up by June 9.

Tourist and Convention Complex in Vietnam

Leave a reply

The project of Asian Coast Development (Canada) Ltd. to build a 4.2-billion-dollar tourism complex in southern beach area near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has been approved by the government of Vietnam. The complex will consist of casinos, five stunning resorts, conference and exhibition centre, a shopping hall, restaurants and a 200-acre golf course located on the white-sand beaches of Vung Tau Province.

Gambling is banned in Vietnam, but foreign tourists are allowed to visit a casino in the port of Haiphong.

The New Online Gambling Law in South Africa

1 Reply

The internet gambling law has been recently passed by the parliament of South Africa. To come into effect the bill should be signed by the president of South Africa Thabo Mbeki.

The aim of the law is to fight the negative effects of online gambling such as money laundering, gambling addiction and player protection.

In accordance with the law every player in South Africa will have to register with a licensed online gambling company proving he or she is over 18 years old. Besides, the law allows electronic monitoring system that helps root out potentially addictive behavior and restricts credit extensions to players.