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The Weekly Edition, an OCR Live! production, this week features Kate at the CAP Spring Break 2008 in Limassol, Cyprus. Industry headlines from the people who make the news. Online casino and poker affiliates met last week at the annual Spring Break event organized by Casino Affiliate Programs (CAP). Poolside meetings and after-hour parties have helped casino affiliates form friendships and business connections. We were there too, and we bring you the highlights and memorable moments. This is what the people behind the online gambling industry had to say to the camera. CAP Spring Break Sure, CAP Spring Break is a lot about having fun, but listen to what affiliates and casino operators had to tell us about the healthy and productive combination of business and pleasure. Discussion panels The Weekly Edition includes coverage of the main issues discussed at Spring Break, from advertising to SEO, and from Rakeback to the US ban on online gambling. Poker Conference The first ever Poker Conference included an ASOP - Affiliate Series of Poker - tournament, in which 50 poker affiliates competed for a spot at WSOP. Watch the games and meet the players as we walk around the tables to see how they are doing. Dave Devilfish Ulliott We sat in on poker champion and stand-up comedian Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott's presentation, and bring you the highlights.
The 2005 Gambling Act has defined the Advertising Standards Authority as the authority on all that regards online casino and gambling ads. The ASA has once again acted on its responsibility. In trying to ensure online gambling ads keep with high standards, the ASA has banned several ads in the past, though generally gambling ads pass the standards test. Not this one though. The ad ASA has found William Hill's Bingo ad, one in a series of ads for its Bingo product, inappropriate. In the video on this page, you can see the ad, which William Hill believed was a clever marketing pun. The ad shows a lady moving the clock handles ahead to rush her husband out of the house, then running upstairs to play online bingo. The ad has been banned. Not funny William Hill argued that the ad was an attempt at humor. The ASA disagreed. Furthermore, it claimed the ad may cause emotional, financial and social harm. And so the ASA finds itself defending humor, society, in addition to the high standards of the gambling world. More bingo Bingo is in full swing, as William hill's product shows. In the past weeks, 888 has also released a bingo site, by the name of 888 Ladies. For the best bingo action, highest bonuses and general reviews of the sites, visit Bingo Swing Service.
The fastest growing market in online gambling is college kids 18 to 24 years old. But it does not start there. A survey in Oregon found that 1 in 3 youths ages 12 to 17 already engage in online gambling, even if free games. The survey - Oregon Youth and Their Parents: Gambling and Problem Gambling Prevalence and Attitudes - found that 6 in 10 Oregon adolescents surveyed have gambled at some time in their lives, and nearly half have done so in the past year. These numbers are significant not only in light of the US ban on online gambling. They are considerable enough to demand attention by parents and governments, not only by the law. While online gambling in itself is not necessarily negative, players need protection. This is certainly true when kids are involved. With nearly 2,000 gambling sites on the web, it is no difficulty to find action, whether free or for money. What is sometimes too difficult to find, especially in an environment that considers online gambling a taboo and refusing to deal with it directly, are resources for problem gamblers. A prevention health educator in Oregon, Yvonne Kays, expressed the right message: "We're not saying 'Don't gamble.' Our message is, you need to recognize the risk factors and when it becomes a problem."
Online slot machines player, Klaus E. from Finland has made online gambling history with an incredible $5.5 million jackpot win. Small fry He made a modest 50 cent bet on the online casino, Blackjackballroom, which changed his life forever. Telephone digits In an interview with Casino Rewards, the company behind Blackjackballroom, the lucky winner described his reaction to hitting the jackpot: "When I saw 5,556,753 flash on my screen, I thought it was a US phone number. It couldn't be a jackpot, I must be mistaken. So I just got up from my table, went outside to clear my head, and then came back in again for another look ... and noticed $5.5 million sitting in my casino account." Visit down-under After reality had set in, he was flown to Australia to pick up his winnings. And what was the highlight of his trip apart from getting his hands on his enormous cheque? Having his photo taken with a koala at the Sydney wildlife park. Saving for a rainy day And how does Klaus intend to splash his cash? Evidently not tempted by flashy cars and luxury holidays, the sensible soul said he will invest his winnings for the future. For the highest jackpots up for grabs, updated in real-time, visit our Money Train Service. Good luck!
The Weekly Edition, an OCR Live! production in which Kate brings you the headlines for the past week, from the latest banned bingo ad to the next chapter for Sweden's online gambling market, with a look back at the history of online poker. Banned Bingo Ad Watch the latest ad for William Hill's Bingo and decide for yourself if it is funny and whether it should have been pulled by the ASA for violating advertising code. Sweden Loses Grip on State-Run Gambling End of the road for Sweden’s online gambling monopoly as government bows to EU pressure. Highlights from CAP Spring Break 2008 Andrew Goetsche from World Poker Tour told the audience at CAP Spring Break about the critical day in 2002 when poker tournaments aired on television, and the players flocked to the websites changing the industry overnight.
Online gambling may sometimes be entirely fun, 100% risk-free and absolutely profitable. We are not preaching all out betting and careless behavior, but good deals are to be found. A new online casino player, whose name as it was published is Kerri T, has hit a winning jackpot without even placing a bet. Playing at Jackpot Capital, Kerri hit a $14,593 jackpot at the online slot machines. She chose to play Caribbean Stud, and the site awarded her a free welcome deposit of $25. What came out is a $14,593 jackpot, and this comment by the lucky winner: "I hadn't even made a deposit to my account, all it had in it was the free $25 they had given me to get started. Next thing I knew I was withdrawing nearly fifteen grand," she said. Pick your bonus scheme Welcome bonuses are no secret. The various bonus schemes do differ from one casino to the other, but largely fall under several categories: Welcome Bonus - upon signup, whether with the first deposit or even before ever depositing money into the player's account. First Deposit Bonus - matching the player's first deposit at some percentage (often by 100%). Bonuses for Additional Deposits - continuous bonuses for repeated deposits. The highest bonuses of these are tracked and listed on our Bonus Hunter service. There you can filter and find the bonus of your liking, in order from most generous to least. Each bonus usually comes with wagering requirements, which should be read carefully. Not always does the player simply cash in on his or her winning. But as Kerri's winning story shows, sometimes they do.
Internet gambling group, SportingBet, is standing its ground regarding its Turkish operations despite the recent arrest of two of its employees. Held without charge SportingBet's CEO, Andrew McIver, remains clueless as to the reasons behind the arrests. The two junior employees, both Turkish, were jailed last week along with 30 others all associated with SportingBet's previous marketing partner, Maslin Properties. The group has yet to be charged. Press reports According to reports in the Turkish press, police are investigating allegations of organized crime, money laundering and tax evasion. It is unclear whether the arrests are linked to illegal online gambling activity. Staying put McIver has stated that his company will not be pulling out of Turkey, its third biggest market, despite the legal scandal. Riding high The sports betting firm is keen to prevent the Turkish affair overshadowing the release of its impressive third quarter results. It was announced on Tuesday that operating profits have soured from 3M to 7.3M GBP. Within the law The firm insists that their activity is entirely legal owing to the fact that they have no ‘physical operations' in Turkey. According to one city analyst, however, any sort of Turkish presence is potentially damaging to the firm's reputation and valuation. On track The odds betting outfit, however, remains un-phased. On track to meet its end of year forecast of 21M GBP, SportingBet looks set to ride out the Turkish storm.
The online casino industry dates back to the mid 1990's, when gambling sites first surfaced on the web. This week we had reason to look back at those days long gone, and notice some interesting trends. Happy 10th birthday Online casino software provider Microgaming and online casino site Intertops have celebrated 10 years of partnership this year. The anniversary was not kept to the companies' owners alone. Rather it was shared with two fortunate players who were flown around the world to the various casino capitals - Las Vegas and Monte Carlo - all expenses paid. Deja vu all over again The 2008 birthday party shows a lot has changed in the business, and yet not much has changed after all. Or to quote Yogi Berra, it is "deja vu all over again." "Back in 1998, when we were preparing to launch one of the world's very first online casinos, Microgaming was about the only game in town," said Michl Posch of Intertops. A look around, 10 years later, shows that Microgaming has kept its top standing in the industry. Today Microgaming provides over 300 casino games in various formats - downloadable, Flash and mobile - to Intertops and other casinos. Addressing the anniversary, Roger Raatgever, CEO of Microgaming said: "We are extremely proud of our relationship with Intertops.com." Party goes on The anniversary celebration is not a one day event, however. The two gaming industry pioneers promise a series of promotions throughout 2008.
The US government continues its persecution of online casino and Internet gambling businesses. This time it is Citadel, Canada-based payment method, which will pay a fine and avoid further presecution. ESI Entertainment Systems collected over $2 billion in the five years that it served American gamblers, between 2002 and early 2007. Through its Citadel subsidiary, its payment method supported online casino sites based outside the US. Citadel accounted for about 80% of ESI's business, and online gambling related payments were the majority of the web-generated income. In an announcement made this week, the US Attorney's office in Manhattan said ESI will pay $9.1 million. If it avoids wrongdoing in the next 18 months, it will officially avoid being prosecuted on a conspiracy charge. UIGEA prevails? Credit card companies and payment method providers are the main venue through which the UIGEA ban on online gambling is enforced in the US. Citadel is not the first company that complies with the US probe. Neteller has already agreed to pay $136 million in a seperate agreement. But why? BetOnSports of the UK has also pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy. Why it has decided to do so is not entirely clear, and is looked at by the industry as suspect compliance with the US authorities, whose right to ban online gambling under international trade laws is questionable in the first place.
One online gambling site that caters to players in South Korea boasts 3 million visitors a day. Indeed, the South Korean online gambling community is estimated at millions. But the exact number, not to mention the number of those who develop gambling addictions is unknown. Keeping this information in the dark is the illegal status of online casinos in the country. The problem is that it keeps the industry in the shadows as well. The report An MBC TV program, "PD Notebook," reported on an increasing trend of gambling addictions around online gambling sites. The cases are unfortunate by any standard. With an outright illegal status, the selection of online casino sites offered to South Koreans leaves them prone to illegal cyber-money dealers who have one mission - to rip players of their funds. These sites even include Korean-specific games, such as a certain Hangame cited in the program. Legalize it Government agencies are busy tracing and persecuting illegal money dealers by offering compensation to players who report on such illegal operations. The police announced it will dedicate hundreds of officers for the mission. But the fact is that online gambling is already here, in South Korea as in the rest of the world. While the illegal operations should indeed be shut down, there is no way a government can fight a movement of millions from playing online.
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