Gambling news - page 896

Bookies set up petition on FOBT issue

21 Apr 2014

The Guardian newspaper reports that over the weekend a petition organised by the Association of British Bookmakers appeared in shops across Britain headed “Enough’s Enough” and seeking customer support for an appeal against government restrictions which it claims could cost jobs in the industry. The Guardian took a jaundiced view of the effort, which does …

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Malaysian police gathering cyber intelligence to combar illegal betting

21 Apr 2014

Online sportsbetting operators targeting the Malaysian punter will have to tread carefully during the FIFA World Cup football spectacular in June this year – the Malaysian police are making extensive preparations to combat the upsurge with even more vigour than usual. Police Federal Secret Societies, Gambling and Vice Division principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm …

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Gibraltar power station fire cuts online gambling services

21 Apr 2014

A fuel tank explosion and fire at a Gibraltar power station Sunday resulted in local power cuts and extensive disruption of international online gambling services provided by Gibraltar-based operators like William Hill, Betfred and Ladbrokes. Rival BetVictor escaped unscathed thanks to its independent emergency power generator. The disruption came on a busy day in which …

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Skewing the odds?

20 Apr 2014

A gambling row that has been simmering for the past week in Australia is set to heat up after the holidays with Tabcorp at the centre after an activist body dubbed Fair Wagering Australia published a leaked internal document that on the face of it suggests a strategy to winnow out successful punters to reduce …

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U.S. online gambling ban supporters seek debate

19 Apr 2014

The latest op-ed aimed at lawmakers through the Washington DC publication in The Hill appears to suggest that moves to reinstate a stricter and more specific Wire Act are really just about creating a “time-out” and space for legislators to debate and better inform themselves on online gambling. The two Republican politicians pushing for the …

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Personal attack launched on internet gambling investor

19 Apr 2014

Teddy Sagi, the forty-two year old Israeli billionaire and main shareholder in the Playtech online gambling technology empire was the target of a highly personal attack published by the UK newspaper The Daily Mail Saturday. The Mail is well known for its anti-gambling crusades and in particular its vehement opposition to the Fixed Odds Betting …

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Unibet exits the Russian online gambling market

18 Apr 2014

With Belclic’s decision last week to reverse out of the Russian online gambling market still reverberating around the industry, the Swedish online gambling operator Unibet plc has announced that it intends to follow suit – at least temporarily. The sudden surge of enforcement interest from Russian prosecutors and enforcement officials, leading to more black-listings (see …

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New chief operating officer for Betfair

17 Apr 2014

Mark Brooker, the erstwhile director of sports betting at Betfair, has been promoted to chief operating officer of the group, the company announced this week. Brooker has been with the company for the last four years, and his new responsibilities will place him in the i-gaming hot seat, with the introduction of a new sportsbook …

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Dutch land casinos recorded losses last year

17 Apr 2014

The state-owned Holland Casino group, which comprises 14 land casinos throughout the Netherlands, suffered further declines in 2013, generating total losses of Euro 22.3 million, reports the publication Dutch NL News. After years of debate and false starts, the Dutch government is moving toward regulated online gambling and licensing, hopefully by early 2015 (see previous  …

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Topgame to provide live dealer action

17 Apr 2014

Top Game, an online gambling software provider that has come in for a number of player criticisms in the past, has announced that it is about to add live dealer action to its range of products. The announcement notes that: “Live Dealer game options are the newest trend in online casino gambling, but few US …

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Brazil set to formalise laws on internet gambling?

17 Apr 2014

The Brazilian government’s latest policy drafts on the use of the internet and how it should be regulated appears to favour a more restrictive approach when it comes to online gambling. Whilst current law does not sanction online gambling, betting companies have thus far managed to exploit a loophole that requires operators to hold licensing …

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Net Entertainment launches on Sky Betting and Gaming

17 Apr 2014

A Net Entertainment content supply deal with Sky Betting and Gaming signed earlier this year has come to fruition with the launch of new games on the Sky Vegas site. Björn Krantz, managing director at Net Entertainment Malta Ltd, said: “I am confident that our best in class online desktop and mobile portfolio games will …

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Macau first quarter revenues up 20 percent

17 Apr 2014

Audited numbers from the Macau regulator show that in the first three months of 2014 the offshore gambling enclave generated revenues of MOP 102.5b (US $12.8 billion) – up 20 percent in comparison to the same period in 2013. Figures released by Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau show baccarat was the big money earner …

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Ader to name bwin.party board members today

17 Apr 2014

London’s Telegraph newspaper reports that SpringOwl investments, a US company operated by American activist investor Jason Ader, is to confirm its Bwin.Party board nominees today (Thursday). Ader secured a 6.1 percent interest in the European betting group earlier this year (see previous  reports) and has been critical of the manner in which it is managed. …

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Online gambling racketeer charged in Florida

17 Apr 2014

Thomas Welch (48), a Naples, Florida man accused of multiple racketeering, extortion and money laundering-related charges, was the ring-leader in an illegal online sports betting enterprise that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to reports in the publication News-Press this week. Welch has been arrested by Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents in a …

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Better numbers from Delaware online gambling

17 Apr 2014

The March performance stats from the Delaware regulators show encouraging improvements and the best month yet for the state, one of three in the United States that has legalised and regulates online gambling. Poker revenues were up 12.3 percent compared with February 2014 at $84,391, whilst online casino gaming revenues rose 32,4 percent to $122,441. …

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Branded betting service for the sun?

16 Apr 2014

Marketing Week report News UK’s News Group Newspapers subsidiary Sun is delving into the possibility of launching its own-branded gambling service. News UK has reportedly applied for a range of “Sun Bets” trademarks, two of which carry the strapline “back yourself”. Sun Bet’s betting service would join a gambling portfolio that comprises Sun Bingo and …

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Number of online gambling Twitter followers soars

16 Apr 2014

Usage of social networking continues to soar, prompting the independent research company MECN to carry out a survey of how online gambling marketers are adapting to this exciting new communication channel. The study found that Twitter is experiencing massive increases in interest in the industry, indicating that marketing activity as well as player involvement is …

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Swedish court sentences fraudsters to prison

16 Apr 2014

Sweden’s Värmland District Court has handed down sentencing to eight people involved in a major fraud case involving internet poker following a two-year investigation by Swedish authorities and the Swedish gaming authority Lotteriinspektionen. The criminals hacked into and gained private login information from several large gaming companies including state-sponsored gambling monopoly Svenska Spel between 2007 …

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Caesars Interactive to offer Neteller service

16 Apr 2014

Optimal Payments Plc has extended its existing online gaming partnership with Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) with the addition of payment services option NETELLER. Optimal Payments’ NETELLER service was re-launched to the broader U.S. market early last month .  The re-launched NETELLER service and Net+ Card was re-branded with a new look and feel and offers …

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Mr Green acquires DSRPTV and Social Holdings

16 Apr 2014

Mr Green & Co, through its Green Gaming Group subsidiary, is exercising its option to acquire all shares in DSRPTV and Social Holdings Ltd. DSRPTV owns 21.1 percent of Garbo.com, a mobile gaming site targeted at the female demographic.  The remaining 78.9 percent belongs to Derzhava Holding Limited, owned by Mr Green & Co chief …

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Czech government drafting online gaming bill

16 Apr 2014

Czech Deputy Finance Minister Ondrej Zavodsky revealed in an interview with Bloomberg this week that the Finance Ministry is in the process of drafting a bill that would boost tax revenue’s by permitting all gaming operators in the Czech Republic to offer online gaming. Separate tax rates will apply for different types of gaming to …

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Realistic Games launches two new slots

16 Apr 2014

British online slots and table games supplier Realistic Games has unveiled two innovative new slot games. Mobile and desktop versions of the five-reel 6 Appeal and the three-reel Jackpot Cherries will be rolled out across a host of operators, and will also be available to all new clients, the company said Wednesday. 6 Appeal features …

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Multi-million online sports betting ring busted in Indonesia

16 Apr 2014

Police in Jakarta, Indonesia have arrested three people for allegedly taking bets for Isle of Man online bookmaker sbobet.com, reportedly turning over billions of rupiah a month. Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Herry Heryawan told the Jakarta Globe that the ring had been active for the past three years, handling up to Rp 30 billion …

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