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What investigators are calling one of the largest busts in the Capital Region has brought an end to a $50 million Internet sports betting ring. Three men from Onondaga County, who are known by officials for their past association with gambling operations, were recently arrested for sporting bets placed in the period between September 2006 and the present day. On Friday, George Bedigian (63), Salvatore Tumino (70) and Michael Losurdo (41) were arrested for suspicion of involvement with an underground gambling business stretching from Albany to Syracuse. 20 Million and Counting This will not be the first time the three have seen the back seat of a police car. The men were arrested for their involvement in a $20.3 million gambling operation in Upper New York three years ago. In May of 2005, Badigian was charged with 217 counts of promoting gambling, 17 counts of possession of gambling records and three counts of money laundering. During the 2005 bust, Bedigian was identified as being the ringleader of the operation. But Not a Word The case seems to be under the media radar as the suspects aren't responding to reporters, their defense line is avoiding the press and even Albany Count Sheriff James Campbell has not spoken on the subject. Syracuse lawyer David Primo, identified by the Times Union as Bedigian's defense lawyer, has also been supporting the lack of discourse concerning the case. Bedigian, who is being accused of being one of two ringleaders of the operation, and LoSurdo are being charged with enterprise corruption. Tumino is facing fourth-degree money laundering charges.
"Prohibition Era lessons be damned," was the message of US Congress as they approved the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in October of 2006. The bill, effectively outlawing online gambling in the United States, is seen by many as an outdated fearful reaction to the perceived social threat espoused by opponents to any form of gaming. Or leisure, for that matter. The Last Laugh Not that this is a laughing matter, but what the fat white men on Capital Hill seem to be missing is the long term economic effects that are only beginning to be realized, according to a recent study by Eli Lehrer, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute of Washington, DC. According to the study, the UIGEA "seems unlikely to stop Internet gambling and could even threaten the stable, smooth operation of America's banking system. UIGEA and its currently proposed enabling regulations will undermine the financial privacy of all Americans and reduce the security of their bank accounts." "Exaggeration", you declare? Consider the facts: Sleigh of Hand "UIGEA, at its root, serves to regulate banking and credit cards. It has nothing to do with port security and, just as importantly, does not actually ban any type of Internet gambling activity that was not already illegal under state laws." What this means is that the institutions the government has targeted have, in fact, very little to do with gambling. Instead, the bodies that stand most to lose here are the ones that indeed have the most to lose: banks, credit unions, credit card companies, wire transfer services, and even brokerages. In short, any institution that has to do with money stands to risk serious destabilization, courtesy of the US government. Motions to repeal UIGEA, or at least ease up on the Draconian elements of it are underway by opposition in Congress and lobby organizations.
A Tough Blow for Reformist Hopefuls In what was recently regarded as optimistic news for proponents of South African political talks leading toward a legalization of online gambling, the process there seems to have stalled. Disappointed advocates of the proposition hope that this new snag in the process won't be enough of a blow to end the idea completely, as has been suggested. To Advertise, Or Not To Advertise? The issue here seems to be whether or not to allow newly licensed Internet casinos to advertise their services. This seemingly trivial issue threatens to spark a review of casino advertising in general, which would translate into unpredictable results for the whole legalization process, as members of the country's National Assembly wrangle for solutions. Department of Trade and Industry officials warn it could now be the summer before the legislation is adopted.
Would you laugh if you found any of these headlines on our news pages? Today you can! They are a dime a dozen. Here are our dozen April fool's Day 2008 jokes. Comment and let us know what you bet will be the first to become reality. Bush Admits: I am a Gambler The President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, admits to gambling online ever since entering office in 2001. The confession, which shocked the American public, was aired on his National Sunday Address on the radio. Bush has promised to repeal the gambling ban he signed into force in late 2006, but seems to have forgotten his promise, and himself, in a game of poker online. Casino Stock Rebound: Managers All Flock Las Vegas Following news from the US, casino and software companies have sold all their shares at "progressive jackpot" prices. Their success has set new records, far exceeding pre-ban era. None of the companies' people were available for comment. Answering machines said they have all gone to Las Vegas to bet their winnings and party. China Joins Online Casino Industry: Transfers Macao to the Web Following much talk, most of it guesswork, concerning the future role that China will take place in the online casino world, it decides to open its doors. A billion plus new users were granted free access to online casinos, most of which have abandoned the familiar currencies and support the Chinese yuan only. Reports have it that somehow - no one knows how really - Macao has disappeared from the face of the earth and reappeared shortly after on the Web. Google Presents: Casinoogle After mastering the search engine, developing News Search, Gmail and a google-load of other Web developments, the Mountain View company has introduced - the Casinoogle, the Google Casino. Its Progressive Jackpot is currently a google dollars, which is some enormous sum of a one followed by a hundred zeros. Wii Spins Off Gambling Game Christmas records good bye! April Fool's Day special sales hello! The sales of the new Wii video game from Nintendo, Called Wii-lette, has roulette players storming the stores across the world. The game requires players to imitate the roulette wheel spin in Wii fashion. I Just Won a $1,000,000 Jackpot Please forgive me as I choose to believe my own hoax for a second, and leave my desk.
The Weekly Edition, an OCR Live! production in which Kate brings you the headlines for the past week, a tour around the world that starts in the United States, continues through South Africa, and ends close to home in the UK. Gambling Backers on the Hill Count 47 The count continues climbing. Congressman Tim Bishop (D.-NY) is IGREA's 47th backer on Capitol Hill. South Africa to Welcome Online Gambling Online gambling is currently illegal in South Africa, but this may change soon. The bill to legalize casinos moves through the channels. CryptoLogic Leads Gambling Growth Internet gambling software provider CryptoLogic shows the industry how it's done, with yet another growth in income in the fourth quarter.
Against earlier signs that Holland will pass an online gambling bill that will regulate the industry in the country, the Dutch parliament has rejected the idea on Tuesday. The bill was defeated by a narrow vote, 35-37. The bill was approved by the lower house of parliament in 2006. It is the upper house that rejected it this time around. International Trade Limited It was to grant Holland's gambling monopoly, Holland Casino, a three-year trial-period contract to operate a monopoly gambling website. That would have helped protect Dutch gamblers, estimated at about 400,000, and compete with international companies operating gambling sites, such as PartyGaming, Bwin and Sportingbet. The Dutch, it seems, will have to wait a while longer before they see a state-owned Internet gambling website. Gambling Protection Limited With lacking regulations and no bill to control the online gambling industry in the country, the fear of unfair competition, corrupt websites, and potential growth in gambling addiction is shared by all, Holland Casino included. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin saw the bill rejected by Holland's upper house of parliament, and his effort to protect Dutch players and compete with countries outside the Netherlands has been rejected. European Perspective The European Commission has recently warned Holland for its gambling laws. Along with Greece, it was given a final warning in February by the EU before action would be taken against it for stifling competition. This is not to say that Europe is at all unified in how it handles opening up to the gambling industry online, with the UK opening up in a liberal, governed fashion, and Germany and France still wishing to protect their state monopolies.
At the long awaited Congressional hearing on its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), bankers and private financial institutions joined disgruntled poker players in decrying what they consider to be an awkward and nonviable law. The UIGEA, introduced into a climate of already outlawed US online gambling, sought to ban credit card companies and others from processing cash flow from the US into (and ideally out of) offshore-based Internet gaming sites. "Congress itself isn't sure what they mean" So said Louise Roseman, head of the Federal Reserve's bank operations division, in reference to the confusing federal laws that are now under attack. The congressional laws were created with the intent of banning online gambling in the US, but it seems that due to the confusion created when members of congress realized that not even they could control the Internet, responsibility for enforcement of the ban was transferred to financial institutions - and laying handcuffs isn't really their line of work. Caution: High Ocean The law has caused international disputes, including an investigation launched earlier this month by the European Union after European betting companies complained that Washington's actions against them were infringing international trade rules. In Congress Naturally, the UIGEA has its opponents within the legislating community. The House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D.-MA) who has introduced a bill to overturn the legislation, called it "a rather bizarre piece of legislation," ahead of the hearings. There is Hope With this floodgate of negative feedback not only from affected gamblers, but from the financial and international communities as well, many are hopeful that UIGEA will soon be a thing of the past. Congressional hearings, and talks in general, are a positive sign toward some sort of agreement, at the very least.
The Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology Subcommittee of the US Congress has held hearings on the nation's gambling ban Wednesday, April 2, 2008. Following are quotes gathered throughout the day, which express best the general agreement that the ban, known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA, is ambiguous and difficult to implement. The Hearings Congress debated yesterday over the proposed UIGEA regulations, hosted by Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL), chairman of the Subcommittee. Also participating as witnesses were Ms. Louise L. Roseman, Director of the Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Ms. Valerie Abend of the US Department of the Treasury; Ms. Harriet May on behalf of the Credit Union National Association; Mr. Wayne A. Abernathy, of the American Bankers Association; Mr. Leigh Williams, BITS President, The Financial Services Roundtable; Mr. Ted Teruo Kitada of Wells Fargo & Co. Conventional Wisdom It is largely accepted and agreed by the feds themselves and certainly by the guest witnesses from the banking and financial organizations that the Internet gambling law is ambiguous. Amongst the gambling community, our correspondent has stated this notion earlier. At the end of the day, the expert testimony provided - selected quotes of which follow - offers further evidence that the ban just won't work. Prohibition is a Failure Chairman Gutierrez said in his opening statement: "I believe it is inappropriate to have financial institutions essentially acting as the final arbiter in determining which transactions are legal or illegal." With this statement he set the tone for the discussion to follow. Ms. Louise Roseman, Director, Division of Federal Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, said: "The implementing statute will not be iron clad at all." Mr. Wayne Abernathy, American Bankers Association's executive vice president of financial institutions policy and regulatory affairs said: "The path leads to an increased cost and administrative burden to the banks and an erosion in the performance of the payments system, but it will not result in stopping illegal Internet gambling transactions." Mr. Leigh Williams, president of the technology division of the Financial Services Roundtable said: "We believe these functions are more appropriate for law enforcement agencies." the current statute and implementing Ms. Harriet May said: "The current statute and implementing proposal contain several components of great concern, and we urge Congress to take action to address the hardships that will otherwise arise." Mr. Ted Teruo Kitada opened up for discussion the difficulty to implement the ban on an international level, saying: "Policies and procedures deemed to be reasonably designed must include instances when wire transfer services should be denied and circumstances under which the correspondent account should be closed with respect to a foreign bank." Mr. Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, said: "Testimony... made clear today that the prohibition on Internet gambling isn't working now and will not work in the future." He added that the financial expense required to force compliance would be too great for US banks and credit card companies. Finally, Congressman Ron Paul expressed his support of IGREA, or HR 2046, which he is a cosponsor along with Rep. Barney Frank, and oppose these new regulations altogether. His short statement appears in the video on this page. One more For the official Online Casino Reports editorial response to the hearings, visit the blog:BLOG
The group e-Commerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance, better known as eCOGRA, is out to present a positive side of online gambling – and to make sure things stay kosher so that all-round respectability can be maintained. Responsibility Seminar The UK-based group recently concluded a seminar where about 40 gaming professionals were brought in for lectures on topics ranging from general principles on responsible gambling, to how to identify and deal with problem gamblers. "For both humanitarian and ethical reasons and to correct adverse misperceptions by some, a comprehensive responsible gambling policy is a critical investment for any online gambling operation," said Bill Galston, who wears several hats, as former UK Gaming Board Chief Inspector, GamCare Trustee, and eCOGRA Independent Director. "eCOGRA has made huge strides in this area in developing a set of best practice requirements for online gambling operations and this third course on the subject will coach managers in how to apply these tools," he continued. Manifold Approach to Responsible Gambling Partnering with eCOGRA in delivering the educational program was GamCare. A British organization as well, GamCare is active on two fronts. The registered charity helps anyone, any individual gambler, to overcome a gambling problem. It is easily accessible and widely available for support, information and advice. It is also active in the industry realm, working with and supporting the development and implementation of responsible practice by the gambling industry. A large part of the training was delivered by GamCare's Amy Webster. Her lectures and discussions covered the prevention of underage gambling, psychological aspects of gambling addictions, and handling cases of compulsive players.
Amsterdam shakes with excitement as the Casino Affiliate Convention in NH Grand Krasnapolsky Hotel takes place. With over 1,000 people entering the front doors of this year’s event and a maximum capacity reaching its limit, the 2008 convention is known as the biggest affiliates convention for online gaming EVER! Setting a stage for success The conference has given industry insiders a chance to discuss affiliate marketing and advertising for the Internet betting industry since 2003. In the form of a forum and a chance for affiliates to make crucial industry-changing decisions, CAC has set a goal to raise the level of traffic and activity on the delegates’ gambling sites. With the amount of affiliates attending, it will be hard to pinpoint a theme for this year’s discussion. The 6th annual CAC will focus mostly on marketing and advertising to Europe. The event will run to the 5th, hosting a variety of speakers. Maytal Ginzberg (Director of online marketing for 888), Michael Corfman (CEO of Gaming Portal Webmasters Association) & Yishai Habari (Founder of mobile.com) are just a few of the co-keynote speakers at this year’s event. Size does matter CAC organizer Marc Lesnick has announced ceremoniously that this year’s event is “the biggest supper-affiliates in online gaming." Some of the participating affiliates are Full Tilt Poker, Affiliate Club, GigaSlot and BetUS Partners. Online Casino Reports is proud to know that there are associations such as the CAC that are keeping alive the gaming spirit. With less positive news from Holland, or confusing laws passed by the United States, the world is still struggling with online gambling. Such positive events help the industry move in the right direction.
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