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A premature cause for celebration or a sign of change to come? Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), a longtime supporter of regulating online gambling and outspoken on the UIGEA bill, has now brought 50 members of Congress on board with his new bill on Capitol Hill. The name you need to know and watch out for is the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (HR 2267). Why should you care? Well besides legalizing online gambling, which the UIGEA bill outright banned, Rep. Frank's bill will create a concrete framework in which licensed gambling operators can accept wagers from US citizens and establish safeguards against the common dangers that are feared: compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identity theft. Until then, things have been a little "hazy" on who could and could not operate a business, from where they could, and who they could accept wagers from - both domestically and internationally. The new bill intends to firm up those guidelines and bring back some order to the mess the UIGEA has created. Additional provisions in the bill reinforce each state's right to decide whether they want to allow Internet gambling and the rules to be followed, or not. It will also allow the Native American tribes and states with previous experience in regulating gambling to have a say in the regulatory process, instead of dancing around the edges as previously done before. Money, honey Besides giving back the basic freedoms of each person and state about how gamblers access their games, a separate analysis was completed to calculate how much money this whole shebang will bring in. During this recession and its bounce-back, it's no small number when results came back as a hefty $48.6 billion (not including online sports gambling) and will reach $62.7 billion (including online sports gambling) over the next decade. So what's a nation to do? Hopefully get their representatives on board and educated. Till then, let's just hope that Rep. Frank doesn't lose any steam. HR 2267 co-sponsors are: Alaska Don Young (R At-Large) Arizona Raul Grijalva (D 7th) California Michael Thompson (D 1st) George Miller (D 7th) Michael Honda (D 15th) Linda Sanchez (D 39th) Bob Filner (D 51st) Colorado Jared Polis (D 2nd) Ed Perlmutter (D 7th) Connecticut Joe Courtney (D 2nd) Florida Robert Wexler (D 19th) Alcee Hastings (D 23rd) Hawaii Neil Abercrombie (D 1st) Idaho Walt Minnick (D 1st) Illinois Luis Gutierrez (D 4th) Bill Foster (D 14th) Indiana Andre Carson (D 7th) Massachusetts James McGovern (D 3rd) Barney Frank (D 4th) Michael Capuano (D 8th) William Delahunt (D 10th) Michigan John Conyers (D 14th) Nevada Shelley Berkley (D 1st) New Hampshire Paul Hodes (D 2nd) New Jersey Robert Andrews (D 1st) Frank LoBiondo (R 2nd) John Adler (D 3rd) Steven Rothman (D 9th) New York Tim Bishop (D 1st) Steve Israel (D 2nd) Peter King (R 3rd) Carolyn McCarthy (D 4th) Gary Ackerman (D 5th) Joseph Crowley (D 7th) Jerrold Nadler (D 8th) Edolphus Towns (D 10th) Mike McMahon (D 13th) Charles Rangel (D 15th) Paul Tonko (D 21st) North Carolina Melvin Watt (D 12th) Ohio Steve Driehaus (D 1st) Tim Ryan (D 17th) Oregon Earl Blumenauer (D 3rd) Tennessee Steve Cohen (D 9th) Texas Ron Paul (R 14th) Ciro Rodriguez (D 23rd) Virginia Bobby Scott (D 3rd) Tom Perriello (D 5th) James Moran (D 8th) Washington Jim McDermott (D 7th)
The 2009 WMS Active Gambler Profile Survey is proving an excellent eye-opener for industry bosses. The survey questioned over 2,000 American gamblers. This was a representative sample in terms of geographical location, level of activity (the group covers casual, frequent and active gamblers), as well as capturing the feedback of those who gamble in virtual as well as land based casinos. The survey highlights four trends in the current profile of gamblers and in addition, uses demographic data to highlight predicted changes to the casino customer base. There follows a short summary of the findings: Time Starved Gamblers 1st Trend: As with society in general, gamblers feel "time starved." 48% of those surveyed said that they have less personal time than they would like. Why Does This Matter? The industry needs to compete with other activities and pursuits. They need to have a product that can attract busy consumers to use their limited spare time on gambling and also ensure that what they have on offer fits in with the hectic lifestyle of their customers. Need to Diversify 2nd Trend: The demographic composition of the population is changing; as well as having an aging population, gambling is also seeing increased participation by generations X and Y. In addition to this, the current gambling profile is over-represented by the White ethnic group. Even though 69% of the current US population is white, an unrepresentative 92% of gamblers in the survey classed themselves as white. This figure should ring huge warning bells as by 2042 50% of the US population will be non white. Why Does This Matter? The industry needs to respond to both the aging population (every 9 seconds someone in the US turns 50) as well as the technically savvy generations X and Y. In addition there is a massive opportunity to attract gamblers from more diverse ethnic groups. Techno Gamblers 3rd Trend: Gamblers have a disproportionately higher level of internet access than the general public. Why Does This Matter? In contrast to their "laggard" public image, gamblers are actually technically smart and internet savvy. With more and more products able to access the net, the industry needs to be able to gear itself up to usage via a growing range of high tech products. Social Gambling 4th Trend: Whilst in the past gambling was a private pursuit, it has increasingly become a social activity. Gamblers like interaction as well as the thrill of the game. Why Does This Matter? Whilst land based casinos have always been a great social adventure, virtual sites need to ensure they find ways to meet their clients' social needs. If the industry is to continue to prosper it needs to attract the untapped customer bases highlighted in the report. WMS provides services, including such surveys that help viewing the online gambling industry through customers' and players' perspectives.
Before his tragic death, Michael Jackson was playing around with the idea of launching an online casino themed after his best-selling pop record "Thriller." The casino was rumored to feature zombies behind slot machines, like the famous MTV video clip. The King of Pop was in financial debt and an online casino was one way he considered for income, all part of the new world of entertainment - no longer only selling records, but stretching a brand across markets. Posthumous Slot Tournament Perhaps those plans would never have come alive, and the Living Dead from the 1984 Thriller album would have remained, well, living-dead, but MJ will be remembered among the online casino community. Golden Casino remembers the King of Pop. Remembering a Legend $15,000 Freeroll Slot Tournament will launch August 21 and carry through August 29, the King's 51st birthday. The popular "Reel Deal" slot game will host the tournament, based on the "Deal or No Deal" television series. 200 winners will walk away with a total of $15,000. First prize winner gets $5,100 and the remaining 199 winners each receive an average of $51 dollars. Golden Casino remembers. We all remember.
Getting to grips with the payment methods available on different online gambling sites can be a little overwhelming. Some offer standard credit card payments, such as Visa and Mastercard, whilst others use alternative payment methods such as NETeller, Fireplay, Moneybookers, Click2pay, to name but a few. Check out payment methods bonus offers that accompany these and other payment methods. Although using these trusted and established companies will ensure the safety of your personal information and guarantee your transactions, they each have different payment timescales and transfer fees. Some are credit based and others necessitate the opening of an online account to facilitate a debit facility. Unique New Service Now there is a new kid on the block. EntroPay is the first provider of a virtual prepaid card in Europe. This offers instant pay-outs to customers and, in addition, works well across borders, overcoming currency conversion issues for those gambling on sites which do not use their native currency. It also does not charge transaction fees, apart from a $6 (or GBP3) fee. The EntroPay prepaid account can be used anywhere that indicates VISA is accepted. It can be used for casino deposits and withdrawals. Customers can transfer funds from their Entropay account into their bank account and also have the ability to obtain an Entropay debit card which can be used at ATMs or retail outlets. Using Entropay means that you can fund a casino account without submitting any of your personal information, making it an extremely secure option. Affiliate Payment System EntroPay also benefits online casinos by being easier and quicker to use. Cashcade, one of the UK's leading online casino providers, has just switched to using EntroPay for its affiliate payment system, both in the UK and abroad. Ben Starr, Head of Sales and Marketing at Cashcade, said: "Previously we had to create several hundred payments per month, a process that was very time-consuming. It was also unpopular with some overseas-based affiliates that found receiving UK payments costly. EntroPay's virtual prepaid accounts will save us considerable resources whilst also allowing us to improve our affiliate satisfaction levels through a flexible global solution." Entropay is already growing in popularity and looks set to become a firm favorite with internet gamblers.
Since the reversal of their anti gambling stance in 2006, PayPal have gradually and selectively moved in on the UK and European gambling market. Their newest collaboration is with the online bingo group St Minver (who were recently bought out by gaming technology giants GTECH). St Minver has a range of UK bingo sites and operates in an extremely competitive market. By linking in with PayPal, who have 23 million UK account users, they are hoping to give themselves the edge over rival sites. Playing it Safe PayPal is already an established and popular payment method for online business transactions. The system works particularly well for online punters, acting as a 'middle man' between the casino site and the player. The customer provides all his financial and personal information to PayPal on setting up an account, saving him the risk of having to share this sensitive information with unknown sites. It also means that he does not need to re-enter this data again and again on different sites, saving time as well as removing risk. Another benefit is the ease of use and swift transaction time for PayPal users. Punters will be able to see, and access, their funds as soon as the payments are processed by the online casino. UK Gambling Goes Mainstream The acceptance of more online gambling sites by PayPal is perhaps indicative of the increasingly mainstream position of gambling in the UK. With advertising now targeting an increasingly new, younger and non-traditional customer base, online gambling in the UK is becoming a socially acceptable pursuit. St Minver powered online bingo sites include: Inter Bingo, Mail Bingo, VIP Poker Club and Bingo ID.
William Hill plc confirmed Tuesday that it will be moving its online betting services and online fixed-odds games from the United Kingdom to its headquarters in Gibraltar. The move, which had been public knowledge for some time, could be the start of a trend, with Ladbrokes and other major British bookmakers expected to follow suit in the near future. William Hill said the transfer was part of the ongoing integration of William Hill Online, which was created last December through the merging of the company's interactive business with assets it acquired from Playtech Limited. As part of the deal, William Hill launched the talked about William Hill Casino Club. William Hill chief executive Ralph Topping has long expressed his dissatisfaction at the fact that his company pays a 15 percent betting tax while offshore rivals pay only 1.5%. "We are ambitious for William Hill Online to be a successful online betting and gaming business on the international stage," Topping said after Tuesday's announcement. An announcement is expected from Ladbrokes following their board meeting Wednesday. British racing officials expect a loss of around 30 percent of their income if other leading bookmakers join William Hill in moving offshore, British newspapers reported recently.
Italy's state lottery reached a record jackpot of 115.9 million Euros ($167 million) this week, prompting locals to race out and buy tickets before Tuesday's draw. No one has bet on the successful six-number combination of the SuperEnalotte draw since January, meaning the jackpot has steadily risen to reach the current mark. The lottery, which is held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, rose from a jackpot of 107 million Euros one week ago to the current mark of 115.9 million Euros. Of course, the jackpot won't necessarily go to one person, as it will be split if more than one players bets on the correct numbers. Previous lotto record Italy's largest single lottery prize up until now was the 100.7 million Euros won in the Sicilian city of Catania in October 2008. A recent study by the Censis social studies institute found that the amount spent on SuperEnalotto has risen steadily since the beginning of 2009, with Italians purchasing an average of 7.8 million Euros worth of tickets each day. SuperEnalotto began in December 1997, and has been of great value to the state, which has received almost 50% of all bets made, a far higher amount than that received from other national betting games. The game brought in more than 1.7 billion Euros in total in the first seven months of 2009, translating to around 850 million Euros in government coffers, or an increase of around 70 percent on the 500 million Euros it received in all of 2008. More Italian online gambling on Online Casino Reports Italy.
Rising debts on credit cards will create an unparalleled dent in the online gambling industry by a massive $11 billion dollars between 2009 and 2012, according to a new report released by Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC). Warwick Bartless, CEO of GBGC commented, "The charge off rate is not all, credit lines are forecast to be cut by $2 trillion for 2009 in the US alone and the average default rate has risen to 10.4% of people and continues to rise with further job losses." A Global Phenomenon The phenomenon is not just focused on the US market, with the credit shortfall also leaving a trail of destruction in the UK gambling sector. With 70% of all internet gambling transactions funded by credit cards, the credit crunch is dealing a heavy blow for the global online gambling sector. With fewer new customers expected, and a reduction in the sums of money being waged, the market is expected to cut costs and consolidate. Global Betting and Gaming Consultants GBGC is a specialist international gambling consultancy who provide statistics, forecasts and reports on the global gambling market.
Whatever the motivation might be, a new player has joined the world of online casinos - 21nova Casino. Its look and layout may remind players of casinos past, namely 32Vegas Casino. That is no coincidence. William Hill Online has re-branded the popular online casino and launched a "new, improved and revamped casino brand, 21nova." Why would they do this? Perhaps for the confusion it has caused with 32Red Casino, which even went as far as filing a lawsuit against Affiliates United, alleging trademark infringement. Be the reason whatever it may be, the launch of 21nova, on Monday this week (August 3), has, in the words of the William Hill Online promise, marked "a new era in online gaming where the focus of play shifts back to the most important element in online gaming; the player." You can read more on the new online casino, and even try it out for yourselves, for a first-hand experience of their Innovative Game Selection, some 30 plus New Ways to Pay and Get Paid and the CLUB21 Rewards, which promise to be as generous as any experienced online.
Figs (Ficus carica) are large, deciduous shrubs or small trees. (Thanks Wikipedia) FIGS are something entirely else, though. The Gaming Club Online Casino was established in 1994 speaking only English. Years have gone by, and the world of online gambling has expanded considerably, and now has added 4 new languages - French, Italian, German and Spanish - also referred to as FIGS. Language support means the entire casino changes its appearance, menus, options, payment methods and contact information to a local version, one in the desired language. The Gaming Club Online Casino is a casino using Microgaming software licensed in Gibraltar. Gaming provider Microgaming offers language supper in 13 different languages, making its products appeal to a greater customer base. Tournaments offered globally are often in English, which the new FIGS language support can bridge, by offering non-English speaking players to take part in them as well. So what are you waiting for? Visit the Gaming club Casino in your language: The Gaming Club France The Gaming Club German The Gaming Club Spanish
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