Malaysian police continued a round of renewed anti-online gambling raids (see previous reports) over the weekend, arresting over two hundred people and seizing computers and other evidence. A police spokesman in Kuching revealed to local media outlets that provincial and district Criminal Investigation Departments have intensified action against cyber gambling throughout the province of Sarawak. …
Moves to beef up supervision of the use of China UnionPay cards in Macau pawn shops – long believed to be a workaround on China’s stringent currency controls by gamblers – could prove to be another blow to the struggling gambling island, say industry observers. The Macau Monetary Authority has just confirmed that it is …
Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands land casino group in the USA is on another purge of online casinos illegally using its trademarks and titles, it appears from filings in the US District Court for Nevada. Following the filings, U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon ordered web-hosting company GoDaddy.com and internet registrar Domains by Proxy LLC to …
The UK Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) has announced that it has commissioned independent research company Sophro Ltd to complete a study of online gambling behaviour which will investigate the causes of harm in online gambling. The research is the third strand to be announced from the independent gambling charity’s £750,000 eighteen-month programme of research into …
The national police in China have reported the successful conclusion of a major anti-online gambling operation that has included raids in the Hunan and Guangdong provinces to break up major online gambling networks which spokesmen claim handled around US$78 billion in wagers. Police reported the arrests of 98 individuals in the raids, which shut down …
The ink was barely dry on New York judge Manuel Mendez’s order restraining daily fantasy sports firms DraftKings and FanDuel from operating in New York state (see previous report) when the two companies launched appeals…and they were successful, with an appeals court lifting the temporary Mendez injunction until the legality of DFS can be properly …
Online sports betting operator Dafabet has extended its snooker sponsorship commitments (it is currently sponsor of the Masters tournament) by signing up as the title sponsor for a new tournament, titled the Dafabet Gibraltar Open. The sponsorship is effective immediately, and the inaugural event will run until December 13, featuring respected names like Mark Selby, …
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been successful in his quest for a temporary injunction restraining DraftKings from operating in New York until such time as the question of daily fantasy sports legality has been decided. Following over a week of consideration, New York Supreme Court judge Manuel J. Mendez ruled Friday that DraftKings …
Top video games developer EA has announced the formation of an eSports unit it has titled Competitive Gaming Division. Led by Peter Moore, the division will focus on growing the eSports community of players, developing live events, broadcasting and creating eSports competitions using popular company games such as FIFA, Battlefield and Madden.
The UK government’s minister for sports, Tracey Crouch MP has backed a call by the Responsible Gambling Trust for UK licensed companies to honour their commitment to donate 0.1 percent of Gross Gambling Yield to combatting problem gambling. The call was initially made earlier this week by RGT chairman Neil Goulden, who reminded operators of …
Seattle-based online slot developer FlowPlay has launched Vegas World Free Slots, a robust six-slot multiplayer mobile social casino available for download in the Google Play store for Android devices and coming soon to iOS. The free-to-play games boast multiplayer and social functionality allowing players to chat with friends, share virtual goods, and play their favourite …
Chris Grove, a gambling industry analyst, told an informational forum on daily fantasy sports set up by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission this week (see previous reports) that entry fees have declined at major DFS operators following the recent furore over “insider” allegations and increased scrutiny by the media and law enforcement agencies. Grove, who is …
The respected Nevada gambling publication Las Vegas Review-Journal and sister publications has been sold to News + Media Capital Group LLC, a newly formed Delaware-domiciled company backed by “undisclosed financial backers with expertise in the media industry.” Michael Schroeder, the manager of News + Media, announced the sale to company employees this week but did …
Racetrack wagering technology provider Sportech Racing-Digital has signed up to provide Sports Network Limited in Vietnam with a new central betting and terminal system for deployment to racetracks in Vung Tau Madagui and Xuan Thanh. The contract involves the provision of a new central pari-mutuel betting system, as well as on-going maintenance and support, and …
New Jersey has been successful in its petition that the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals should re-consider its sports-betting legalisation case that has been waged against US sports leagues and the Department of Justice for several years (see previous reports). The re-hearing will take place on February 17 next year before a full bench …
In yet another indication of the phenomenal popularity of eSports, the League of Legends grand final between the Koo Tigers and SK Telecom teams this week attracted an audience of 36 million unique viewers. The publication Riot reported on the viewer figures from this year’s finals, a five week-long event that spanned multiple countries. Because …
The Isle of Man-based Global Gaming and Betting Consultants has published its annual exercise in gambling crystal ball gazing, predicting that 2016 will see: * No change in US federal law and little progress at state level on internet gambling legalisation * In 2016, nine years on from the global financial crisis, Las Vegas will …
Famous Mexican computer hacker turned IT security operator, Paul “MegaByte” Robles (31), was assassinated earlier this month, shot five times whilst having breakfast at a Guadalajara cafe with his father. The police are still hunting his murderer. Robles reportedly had an arrogant, braggart and dismissive nature which created many enemies; his boasts of wealth, success …
This week saw the start of what could be a major breakthrough for gambling in Brazil when the Special Commission of National Development – a committee in the national Senate – progressed a measure to allow multiple styles of gambling, including online betting on sports and casino games, by 8 votes to 2, with one …
Malaysian police in the Kulai region launched another series of online gambling raids earlier this month, arresting 89 individuals and seizing 220 laptop computers and other evidence. Kulai police Supterintendent Razak Md Said reported that suspects, aged between 18 and 55, were detained in nine raids on diverse premises where online gambling was being facilitated.
The Poker Players Alliance action group is having a bit of fun at the expense of Sheldon Adelson’s inaccurate “a casino in every smartphone” anti-online gambling slogan, using screen grabs of one of his executives repeatedly using the mantra as a means to secure a Congressional hearing. The infographic comes on the heels of Wednesday’s …
House Bill 649 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives remained at second consideration stage and was not voted on Wednesday when it was bogged down with four new amendments which were accepted after some debate. The bill deals with a possible expansion of gambling in the state, including the licensing and regulation of online gambling …
The stage may have been set for daily fantasy sport regulation at an informational forum conducted by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission Thursday (see previous reports), with representatives from major DFS companies DraftKings and FanDuel both appearing to support regulatory suggestions put forward by the Massachusetts Attorney General, Maura Healey. Zakary Cutler, director of product management …
Winaday online casino has launched another of its in-house developed proprietary online slots, this one a jungle-themed offering titled Amazonia. Artwork, weapons and tools of the mysterious Amazon head-hunters spin on Amazonia’s five reels, presented in colourful graphics and backed by appropriate sound effects. The beautiful queen of the jungle is wild and pays up …