The imminent release of the first draft of the Polish government’s proposed measures to restrict online gambling activity in the country has attracted international attention as gamblers, Internet freedom advocates and online gambling companies consider the consequences.
Falling temperatures are apparently persuading British online punters that there will be a white Christmas this year, with a growing number putting money on the possibility.
Whilst Congressman Barney Frank, the Poker Players Alliance, Kentucky politicians and various horseracing bodies have received widespread and well deserved plaudits for persuading the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury to postpone the implementation of the UIGEA, it turns out that US financial institutions also played a key role.
Since our last review of the new games scene the pace of fresh offerings appears to have increased rather than eased in the closing months of 2009.
The UK-based online and offline gambling group Paddy Power has added a Flash-based live dealer offering to its online casino at Paddy Power Casino.com.
Online gambling software developer, Parlay Entertainment which is focused mainly on the online bingo market, has reported disappointing third quarter 2009 losses, with revenues declining to $800 000 compared to Q3 2008 when these were $2.5 million, generating a $600 000 loss (Q3 2008: net income of $600 000).
The PoliticsFriday column in the Seattle Weekly, commenting on moves to raise up to $30 million in tax reveues by allowing four minute keno to be enjoyed in the state, highlights the apparent moral ambivalence of state politicians on the issue.
Poland’s president Lech Kaczynski has signed into Polish law the restrictive measures confining gambling to casinos and phasing out slot machines in gaming arcades, cafes, clubs, shops and service stations, reports Agence France Presse.
The British gambling group Sportech released a management statement as the week ended, reporting a positive six months of business and predicting that it will show a full-year improvement on its 2008 numbers.
The announcement by the Fed and the US Treasury late Friday that the December 1st implementation date for the UIGEA regulations has been pushed back to June 1st 2010 has been generally well received.
Casting the shadow of pessimism over the prospect of US legalisation as the week ended was an article in the Las Vegas Sun, which reported on a survey of 17 Internet gambling experts carried out by the American Gaming Association, which itself is maintaining a neutral stance on the issue.
The Toronto Star carried an interesting article on the growing numbers of senior citizens finding their way onto the Internet despite having lived much of their lives pre-Internet.
The major Austrian-based online group Bwin has added the mini version of GTech G2’s popular Aztec Keno progressive jackpot game to its range of side games following the launch of the full-sized game on its site last month.
It’s been a week of management moves in the UK gambling industry, with financial director Simon Lane departing from William Hill plc and Gala Coral’s md for casino and bingo Simon Longbottom heading back to the leisure and entertainment industry.
The speculation earlier this week was correct; the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve on Friday delayed the implementation date for the controversial UIGEA regulations for six months, a move that gives lawmakers time to clear up confusion over illegal practices or overturn the ban, reports the Reuters news agency.
The Canadian online gaming software provider Chartwell Technology has launched an addition to a new online casino site for Gaming VC Holdings S.A. branded Betaland.com and targeted on non-German gaming jurisdictions.
The UK land and online gambling group Gala Coral has confirmed the resignation of bingo and casino managing director Simon Longbottom, who has apparently accepted a new position in the pub and entertainment sector, where he was employed prior to joining Gala in 2004.
Late Thursday saw a stunning reversal of a decision by Bulgarian parliamentarians to limit taxation on gambling to 12 percent in defiance of the prime minister’s call for a 15 percent rate.
With all the furore over government corruption and draconian new anti-gambling regulations going on in Poland over the past month, it is not surprising that observers have lost sight of a draft due for discussion next week on Internet gambling measures. And the content does not look promising.
Another Champions League qualification match and six games from this season’s Europa League have been linked to the European betting scandal, UEFA told the Agence France Presse news agency on Wednesday.
Last week’s compromise tax of 12 percent on all Bulgarian gambling turnover may have suited members of parliament, but it has not gone down well with prime minister Boyko Borisov, who wanted to balance the budget with a 15 percent tax.
Malaysia is probably one of the most tightly policed places on earth when it comes to online gambling, with major police raids on mainly Internet cafe gambling a regular feature of the region.
The determined efforts by politicians, horseracing associations, the PPA, iMEGA and other groups and individuals to postpone the December 1st implementation date for the regulations supporting the UIGEA may have paid off.
Server based gaming specialist Inspired Gaming Group plc has announced a ten year deal with the UK independent bookmaker Betfred which will see it supplying its entire virtual events package.