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A lot of people in the online casino business and online gambling community have their hopes high for 2009 to bring some change in the global approach to their hobby. While governments such as the UK's lead the liberal front of regulating the market, others follow the opposite course. Surely no one expected the good news to be coming so early in the year! Czech Republic Not yet back from our New Year's vacation and we already hear reports that the Czech Republic will allow local companies to compete in the already thriving, albeit illegal, online gambling market. What has been going on for the past several years is that the status of online gambling was left un-regulated; foreign companies were allowed to operate all this time. A press release from iGaming Business reports that Internet betting is officially allowed from January 5, which means the market is open to local Czech companies. Taking care of the people Players will have to register at stores around the country, which will involve showing identification documents, in order to play online. This will help prevent underage gambling. In anticipating the new law, Online Casino Reports has launched a Czech version for players to find online casinos that speak their language, support their currency and appeal to their preferences.
PokerStars, the world's largest online poker site, has smashed the Guinness world record for largest online poker tournament. Thirty-five thousand players competed in the $11 buy-in tournament on Sunday, with the action lasting over nine-and-a-half hours and resulting in a payout for a record 8,750 players from a total prize pool of $500,000, or a quarter of all those involved. "No other site brings the level of excitement, skill, and challenge that poker players crave," said Team PokerStars professional Daniel Negreanu. "The Sunday tournaments on PokerStars provide an unrivaled opportunity to prove your poker prowess with a lucrative prize pool that matches the highest level of competition." The achievement broke the old record, also set by PokerStars with the Sunday Hundred Grand tournament on July 29, 2007, in which 20,000 players competed. PokerStars broke another world record in the process, with around 250,000 people logged on at the same time to witness the event.
As the Kentucky online gaming row continues unabated, a major precedent could be set should judge Thomas Wingate's ruling not be overturned by an appeals court this month. Three Judges from the appellate panel - Keller, Caperton and Taylor have heard oral arguments and are taking the matter into consideration. A decision is expected any day now. What's at stake? Does a state have the authority to seize an Internet domain located outside the state and if so does this action encroach on personal liberties? Many notable legal experts caution against such reckless conduct. iMEGA attorney Mr. Fleischaker has called Judge Wingate to task on why no criminal complaints were filed against the online gambling sites prior to them being forfeited to the state of Kentucky. The judgment was a civil proceeding and the decision was taken as if the accused 141 domain names were already charged, convicted and found guilty under the law - this never happened. No criminal proceeding was undertaken whatsoever in the high-profile case. Appeals court receptive The appeals court acquiesces on two points: firstly the state had no right to order a criminal seizure and confiscation order without a criminal charge and conviction of the online gambling sites. Secondly the issue of ‘gambling devices' is unclear. The term refers to mechanical devices such as slot machines and makes no reference to the website names - which Judge Wingate insists are gambling devices because they are ways to enter the online gambling sites. Whether the state has the right to order the seizure and forfeiture of the sites - which are clearly registered outside of Kentucky - was also brought into question. The state responded by claiming that online gambling was a, "massive, global, offshore criminal enterprise...whose sites were accessible within the state" Double standards It's not illegal to gamble, but it is illegal to promote gambling, yet with all other illegal activities the law is applied equally. And the law is aimed only at the owners of the sites and not Kentucky's estimated 13,000 gamblers.
Manchester United is the new FA Cup favorite, overtaking Chelsea as favorites before even kicking a ball in the tournament. United, who won away to Championship side Southampton in the third round on Sunday - a day after Chelsea struggled to a 1-1 draw at home to Southend United - is chasing its first FA Cup since 2004, when it beat Millwall 3-0 in the final. Man U has lost two FA Cup finals since then: to Arsenal in 2005 and to Chelsea in 2007. The Red Devils have won 11 FA Cups in their history, the most of any team, but only one ahead of Arsenal. Manchester United is currently 4.50 at Ladbrokes. Predictably the rest of the big four of the English Premier League follow in quick succession: Chelsea is 5.00, league-leading Liverpool, 7.00, and Arsenal also 7.00. The latter two had regulation wins over lesser-fancied opposition on Saturday, while Chelsea's draw puts them in danger of an early exit from the tournament and prompted bookmakers to dump them from the top rung in favoritism. Other teams to watch include Aston Villa, who as the best of the rest look like good value at 10.00. Last year's winner Portsmouth is a lowly 41.00, as a result of poor form in the Premier League. It isn't often that one year's surprise team repeats the feat the following year, hence the reason 2008 runner-up Cardiff City is still a distant 101.00. Replays of third round draws take place on January 13 and 14.
It's no secret that the US has banned foreign online casinos, but Antigua is taking the US to task by appealing to the WTO for help. The Antiguans feel aggrieved by what they perceive as US intransigence in the matter. The loss of revenue is estimated at $21 million annually, which the island nation claims is the value of jobs, taxes and revenue lost by the online casino ban by the US. Classified talks Antiguan Finance Minister Dr. Errol Cort has appealed to the WTO. Those pleas seem to have resonated with the regulatory organization which finds the US in violation of free trade, among others. Calls to the US have largely been met with little or no response. This comes amidst growing concern that the impact of loss of online casino revenue is adversely affecting Antigua's economy. Floating proposals If the Salt Lake Tribune has it right, then the US is set to open a military base in Antigua and in so doing relieving itself of the debt it has incurred. The premise of such a move is such: US soldiers living in Antigua will request services that locals will provide. Such things include: cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, prostitution and others - not all of them exactly above board. The national security issue has not been made public due to its sensitive nature but it appears the US is seeking to expunge itself of its obligations through this proposal. If the idea gains ground then jobs will be created in Antigua catering to the US military presence there. Among others, a black market industry is bound to thrive as young American soldiers party after hours with locals. Purists are stunned at what they perceive as US duplicity. If the US is so anti-gambling and morally upright, then why would they knowingly create a situation that fosters such conduct on Antiguan soil? The policy may well work in Antigua but the EU has similar complaints pending and they are unlikely to opt for more US military bases in their backyards.
Anurag Dikshit is a business success story alongside notables like Bill Gates, Sergey Brin and the like. He's the cofounder of the immensely successful PartyGaming network. Poker players largely have him and Ruth Parasol (cofounder) to thank for the phenomenal popularization of online poker. Rise to gambling stardom Anurag was born in Sindri, Jharkhand in India in 1973. He graduated with a degree in technology from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi in 1994. From then a chance chance encounter with Ruth Parasol of PartyGaming led to his meteoric rise to immeasurable wealth. Present day Dikshit owns 28% of PartyGaming's shares. He sold 23% of his initial stake when the company went public several years ago. These days Dikshit is better known for the $300 million payment he made to US authorities for admitting to violating the Federal Wire Act. Dikshit is currently living and working from Gibraltar.
Ever since the first report on January 5, 2009 on Gambling911, rumors have been floating around that Cardspike - a rather new poker room - has been stalling payments to affiliates. Some of the rumors have gone on and suggested that Cardspike is run by some individuals involved with Casino Affiliate Programs. We have this comment from CAP's Lou "The Professor" Fabiano: Cardspike is not controlled or managed by CAP, PAP, Affiliate Media, Warren Jolly or Lou "The Professor" Fabiano. CAP, PAP, Affiliate Media, Warren Jolly, Lou "The Professor" Fabiano and all other personnel of CAP have absolutely no ownership interest, no profits interest and no beneficial interest whatsoever in Cardspike. Any statements or malicious rumors to the contrary are untrue and unfair.
PokerStars announced the launch Wednesday of a new poker tour to be played across Australia and New Zealand in 2009. The Australia and New Zealand Poker Tour, or ANZPT, is scheduled to begin on February 4 at Adelaide's SKY City Casino, the casino that originally introduced Texas Hold 'em to Australia way back in 1987. The league format for the tour means players will be awarded points based on how many events they enter and the position they finish in. Some of the biggest names in Australian poker will compete in the tournament, including Eric Assadourian, Tony Hachem, Grant Levy, Celina Lin and Emad Tahtouh. "Following the success of the second season of the APPT earlier this year, we are excited to be expanding poker further throughout the region," said ANZPT spokesperson Danny McDonagh. "The ANZPT will provide Australian and New Zealand poker players with a professionally-executed tour in their own backyard." Qualifying begins online at PokerStars.net on January 1. The first ANZPT season will run until June 2009.
The word is out: online casinos are taking the gambling world by storm and land-based casinos are dipping out. There are plenty reasons why gamblers prefer to venture into cyberspace as opposed to physically frequenting their favourite casino. Among the reasons cited in favour of online gambling are the following: - No unnecessary travel, parking, entry or food and beverage costs - No need to get dressed up to go and gamble, just power up the laptop - Incredible graphics, hypnotic sounds, promos and big sign-up bonuses - Gambling from the privacy of home: plain and simple The demographics Multiple studies have been conducted and it has been shown that many people who gamble online clearly have greater internet abilities and tend to be more financially sound. Online gambling requires credit cards, personal computers and leisure time. While land-based casinos have something concrete to show their patrons, there is a greater investment in time, preparation and often cost that needs to be made. Unless it's a once-a-year vacation to a dream hotel and casino resort, online gambling provides equal fun and often with greater payouts to gamblers. Fair comparisons The people interviewed had to have visited regular casinos within the month and played online too. It appears to be the convenience of home that draws people ever deeper into the spin to win thrill of online gambling. In 1995 there were only 24 Internet gambling sites and a decade later that number had already swollen over 100 times. Worldwide estimates of online gamblers are between 14 and 21 million players. Greater wins Most players feel that online casinos pay better than land-based casinos and this is a major factor drawing in the numbers. Moves are afoot for the US to reach a favorable decision on online gambling and that could well open the door to an even bigger market of online players.
It's not all doom and gloom in Las Vegas, with the soon-to-be opened CityCenter hotel and casino announcing it has started the application process for 12,000 new jobs. The CityCenter is the most expensive project of its kind in U.S. history, costing $9.1 billion to build, suggesting its owners are optimistic that the gambling and entertainment industry will recover in the long-term. The CityCenter, covering 1.5 million square meters, and including 4,800 hotel rooms and a 50,000 square meter retail and entertainment district, has been described by some as a 'city within a city'" Today is a momentous occasion for us," said City Center CEO Bobby Baldwin. "We're proud to be creating 12,000 jobs at CityCenter that will be filled by smart, passionate individuals from throughout the state and country." Some economic analysts are already suggesting that business was up slightly over the Christmas-New Year, period, following sharp declines throughout 2008 in the state of Nevada. This will all come as welcome news in the casino capital, which suffered a 26 percent decrease in gambling revenue in October, the worst decline ever, according to Nevada's Gaming Control Board. October was the tenth consecutive month in which gambling revenue dropped in Nevada. The Las Vegas Sands Corporation announced in December that it would cut 216 full-time employees from its Las Vegas properties as part of cost-cutting efforts.
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