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The US Congress has refused to pass federal laws that would ban internet gambling. No Language Prohibiting Online Gambling This fact was confirmed by the lack of any language or itemization in this week's budget to prohibit online gambling, despite heavy lobbying from Las Vegas Sands casino owner Sheldon Adelson who ostensibly would prefer to make land-based casinos the sole form of gambling available to the American public. Adelson sought to include provisions that would reinstate laws to ban internet gambling that would preclude online gambling as a source of revenue to cover the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill drafted by Congress for the next nine months for government departments and public works. Currently, the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 is the primary legislation that bans internet gambling, but that was designated by the Justice Department in 2011 to apply only to sports betting. Silence is Golden According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada (one of the few states where gambling is legal), the debate over the permissibility of online gaming in America would formally conclude if the spending bill was silent on the issue, and this is exactly what has happened. This marks the third consecutive Congress that has failed to reach an agreement on web gambling policy or prohibition, meaning that by default online gambling has not been formally banned or limited. “If we can’t get (online gambling into the language of the) omnibus, it won’t be in anything,” said Reid said in an interview regarding the topic of online gambling prohibition. Prominent Online Operators Satisfied Nevada and New Jersey site game operator Caesars Entertainment expressed happiness with the omission of anti-internet gaming language from the omnibus bill. The Las Vegas Journal Review quotes Caesars senior vice-president of government affairs Jan Jones Blackhurst: “We believe that banning internet gaming is bad public policy from our perspective. We’re pleased this issue will be discussed openly and not hidden in some omnibus bill.”
New blood is coming to the Spanish online gaming market. Twelve New Operators Among Applications According to Spain's gambling regulator Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), a total of twelve new online gambling operators submitted applications before the country's new license tender window closed on December 9, 2014. The DGOJ further clarified that a total of nine sports betting licenses applications were submitted, along with another 32 specific product applications for specific products, plus 11 “other games” applications. Among these applications, five newcomers submitted licensing requests. The tender window for new entrants to the Spanish market was announced last month by DGOJ upon approval of regulation for slots and exchange betting. Seven more newcomers submitted tenders in the slots category, for a total of twelve new operators license submissions. Legal Vacuum Filled The new regulation last month represented the first regulation of online gambling in Spain since gambling was decriminalized back in 1977. The new laws passed the approval of all Parliamentary groups, giving rise to the tender window and opening the Spanish online gambling market to new entrants. In pursuit of added tax revenues for the state, Spain has followed suit with what is shaping up to be a general movement across European countries to regulate online gambling. France, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands are among the countries developing contemporary regulation guidelines to harness the benefits of the exponential growth of the online gambling industry over the past decade. Modern Regulation Model The nature of the legislation making it adaptable and acceptable to general concerns about the availability of gambling to the online environment is important because other countries in and out of Europe are sure to follow the same model to some extent. The draft approved by Spain's Council of Ministers puts forth a modern framework for the online environment, according to a licensing system that puts in place among other things guarantees to protect minors and people with problem gambling.
The Bears and the Saints are two teams with identical records, both sitting at 5-8 going into their Week 15 Monday Night matchup. Tonight’s game starts at 1:30 in the UK and will be broadcast live from Soldier Field in Chicago. It is a crucial game for both teams, as the Saints need to snap a four-game losing streak, and the Bears need a win after two straight losses. A Week to Forget Last week was dismal for both the Saints and the Bears. New Orleans went down hard at the hands of the Panthers 41-10, which was a heartbreaking loss because they were at home. Perhaps even more dismal is the fact that even with a 5-8 record, the Saints sit atop the NFC South, tied with the Atlanta Falcons. The Bears lost a big game to the Dallas Cowboys last week 41-28 and the week before to the Detroit Lions 34-17. In each of those games, the Bears were humiliated on both ends of the field and they need to put an end to losses at home. Marc Trestman’s squad now sits at the bottom of the NFC North and will most-likely not make it out of that position by the time of the playoffs. The ongoing win/loss record between the Bears/Saints is only 15-13, in favor of Chicago and having the home field advantage tonight is a blessing. The Saints will bring their high charged offense into Illinois, in hopes of taking yet another win away from the struggling Bears. Online Betting Markets at bet365 Bet365 Sports leads the online sports betting industry with more markets than any other online sportsbook. Each and every NFL game this season has had over 200 individual markets and this trend continues tonight. Prior to the match, punters have a number of lines to choose from. Bet365 has the Saints as the favorites at 1.64, while the home-team Bears are at 2.35. There are also lines according to quarter, half, team, and everything else one could think of. There are popular Point Spread, Over/Under and Game Totals markets available too. Don’t miss out on the end to an excellent week of NFL football.
The U.S. Mega Millions is easily one of the biggest lotteries in the world and its incredible jackpot means that a great number of eager players are looking to win the life-changing amount with a ticket that costs only a few dollars. While the draw on Tuesday doesn’t quite have the record breaking $656 million jackpot the Mega Millions once awarded, it is still a fair amount at an estimated $113,000,000. Get In on the Action Online Lotteries have made their way to the online gaming world and potential winners can now easily purchase their lottery tickets online with just a few clicks of a mouse. Of course, it is recommended to go for the major vendors since they have the experience and professional services needed to guarantee that every prize is delivered without any issues. The Lotter and Lottery Master stand out as the best websites for buying online lottery tickets for all the major lotteries in the world, with the U.S. Mega Millions having a top spot on the list. Several clients have claimed six-figure prizes through these online vendors over the years from the U.S. lottery. Picking the Winning Numbers The U.S. Mega Millions is quite easy to play as you just need to choose five numbers between one and fifty-six as well as an additional number between one and forty-six, known as the Mega Ball. The $113 million jackpot for this Tuesday draw can be won if someone matches all six numbers on the ticket to the ones randomly extracted. However, the good part is that there are other prizes that can be won by only getting some of the numbers right, with the option to add a Megaplier when buying the online lottery ticket that can multiply secondary prizes four times. Four numbers and the Mega Ball pay $250,000 million that can become a cool million with the Megaplier option.
This past Wednesday, iGaming Business announced a deal with 888 Casino that will allow the online casino to monitor its social presence as well as that of competing brands. Social Monitor 888 will use iGaming Business' newest product, Social Monitor, which not only measures social presence but also analyzes the collected data. Social Monitor was created jointly by iGaming Business and SCRM Cloud, a social media monitoring company. Social Monitor can be customized to fit each client's needs, and will doubtless be adjusted to give 888 the most important information and analysis possible. Web pages to be monitored includes social media, blogs, forums and news sites. A Unique Product Alex Pratt, Head of iGaming Business, described Social Monitor as “the first solution of its kind specifically tailored for the iGaming industry.” He added, “It is really exciting to see it gathering momentum as operators and suppliers begin to understand the competitive advantage it provides across the business; from acquisition and retention to affiliates and offsite UX.” Joakim Nilsson, Founder of SCRM Cloud, described some of the analyses that Social Monitor is designed to do. “We can analyze what has worked on Twitter for any sport across sportsbooks or understand the critical mentions related to payments, promotions or customer service on forums in real time.” 888 Casino 888 Casino is a member of the 888 Group; the online casino was launched in 1997 and has since then hosted over 25 million players on its site. By partnering with iGaming Business, 888 has once again proven to be at the forefront of the latest online casino trends.
Leaders of the prestigious Premier League, Chelsea, are set to take on derby tonight at iPro stadium. The match should be an easy win for the Blues but Derby has proved a tricky team to beat. The Capital One Cup action starts tonight at 19:45 and both teams are seeking to move on to the next round at the other's expense. Chelsea have been unstoppable in all Premier League competition so far this year but in the last round of the Capital One Cup, they barely squeaked by Shrewsbury after they won by a 2-1 margin. Derby, on the other hand, have taken out Carlisle United, Charlton Athletic, Reading and Fulham so far. Their last match against Fulham was in fact an excellent display of what Derby are capable of, as they beat them 5-2 and are only one point off the top of the table. Derby have only lost one game at home this season, but lost their last match against Middlesbrough. Chelsea did lose their first game of the season two weeks ago against Newcastle and the Blues are still looking for a four-trophy season, as Mourinho has his squad on pace to realize this goal. Who’s In, Who’s Out The home team will be without their defender, Ryan Shotton after he was sent off in their losing campaign last week at Riverside Stadium. Good news for the Blues, as Cesc Fabregas is now available again and Petr Cech should get the start in goal again tonight. Tale of the Tape Derby and Chelsea have faced each other a number of times throughout the years, but in all of those games, Derby have lost seven and drawn with the Blues only once. Chelsea are looking hot in all Capital One competition having won 14 out of 16 games, without any losses since 1999. Bet365 Capital One Markets Famed UK sportsbook bet365 has posted all of their markets for tonight’s match and it looks as though Derby will have an uphill battle in front of them. Derby are at 8.00 to win, while Chelsea are at 1.45. There are also Double Chance, To Qualify for Next Round, Method of Victory, Correct Score and literally hundreds of additional individual markets available.
Mobile players of StarGames Casino will now be able to access a larger selection of games on their smartphone or tablet devices. Coming from leading developers in the form of Greentube, Novomatic, and Mazooma, each game has been specially optimised to function on smaller screens. And when it comes to themes, there are many special variations, covering jungles, oceans, and even ancient history. Fruits & Sevens Designed by the creative software developers of Greentube, this is a more compact game that excels on mobile devices. Fruits & Sevens gives you the complete five-reel setup, but only includes five paylines. As a result, playing with all paylines active won’t be a drain on bankrolls. The visual appearance in the game is of the retro slot machine design, with large pieces of colourful fruit adorning the reels. Although the concept of this slot is relatively basic, Fruits & Sevens does have a progressive jackpot that will be triggered with five sevens appearing on the same payline. Pharaoh’s Ring 95 This next mobile slot comes from Novomatic, a leading international provider of digital content to online casinos. Following in the wake of other historic slots such as Pharaoh’s Tomb and Kingdom of Ra. From that perspective, Novomatic has the track record to deliver on this theme. As for design, Novomatic has opted for a relatively standard design of pairing 20 paylines with five reels. Straight after a win, there is an extra bet option to try and increase the size of winnings. Land three or more scatter symbols to launch the bonus game in which ten free games can be triggered. Rumble in the Jungle Mazooma Interactive Games has been designing games since 1997, and now the development company has moved onto mobile games such as Rumble in the Jungle. Designed with five reels, players have the option to activate up to 20 paylines on each spin. The first of the special features is the Jungle Spins Bonus, where players will get five free spins with three or more scatter symbols. Then there will be an opportunity to win the Jungle Jackpot. Mermaid’s Pearl Mermaid’s Pearl is the second mobile slot by Greentube to feature among the new releases at StarGames. Designed as a five-reel slot game, Mermaid’s Pearl is a title that has clearly adopted an under-the-sea theme. During play, it is possible to set the number of active paylines on each spin at five, 10, or 20. The treasure chest symbol is worth looking out for, as three or more appearing simultaneously will lead to as many as 50 free spins being awarded, and with the possibility for re-spins. Mighty Trident Also from the developers at Mazooma, comes a mobile slot themed on the Greek god Poseidon, who is legendary for his mastery of the seas. Featuring five reels and 20 paylines, Mighty Trident offers players a familiar setup. After each win, a gamble option presents an optional double or nothing side game. Additional features include the Compass feature, Poseidon bonus, and potential free games.
Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from football. In a statement, the 37-year old forward said that he had decided to retire after what he called an incredible journey of 20 years in the game. Trophy-laden Career In 20 years, Thierry Henry managed to win the Premier League championship, the UEFA Champions League and even the World Cup. Henry began his professional career back in December 1996 with a left foot when FIFA annulled his agreement with for a pre-contract with Real Madrid. But soon the talented player found his way to France's Ligue 1 Monaco where he won a title and he then joined the national team with which he won the World Cup in 1998. Thierry Henry signed for Juventus back in early 1999 and then Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger secured the talented forward in the summer of that year. The London club is where Henry made his legacy, as he is the club's all-time record scorer today with 228 goals in 377 games across two stints. In 2007 Henry moved to Barcelona, proceeding to win the Champions League in the team's golden days of 2009; he spent the last five years of his career playing in America's Major League Soccer league at the New York Red Bulls, with a small break in a loan back at Arsenal. Favorite Arsenal Goal Henry said that his favorite ever Arsenal goal was the one he scored against Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup third round back in January 2012. Nowadays Arsenal is struggling to get back into the Premier League table's top four. The upcoming game between Arsenal and Football taking place next Sunday is summoning a lot of attention and bets, with a great many interesting betting markets at leading online bookies like Winner Sports and bet365 Sports.
Today's intriguing FA Cup quarter-final summons two veteran Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United (7:45pm UK time). The two teams have already met this Premier League season when Newcastle turned Tottenham's 1-0 lead to an impressive 1-2 victory at White Hart Lane. With today's quarter-final taking place at the same stadium, Spurs have the chance to get their redemption. While striker Emmanuel Adebayor is still unavailable, Tottenham's been doing OK in the season so far, currently positioned seventh in the table with 24 points. Without Adebayor, Tottenham will rely on Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane to score today and at the same time Spurs must fortify their defense which suffers from inconsistency. Newcastle On a Run Despite the 4-1 loss to Arsenal that Newcastle suffered in Saturday, Newcastle could very well win today. The Magpies are one point beneath Tottenham in the Premier League table and they made strides getting to today's quarter-finals against other leagues from the Premier. The wins included a 3-2 over Crystal Palace and a 2-0 giant slaying of reigning champion Manchester City – all this with a team suffering from injuries and other setbacks. Taking that last bit into consideration coupled with Newcastle's high motivation for advancing here today, the team could surprise today despite the odds - it's a very open game. Newcastle will look at the likes of Perez and Cisse to score today and the defense will be reinforced by Steven Taylor's return from injury. Betting Markets Online bookie Winner Sports is giving special coverage to the action at the Capital One Cup today with over 120 betting markets on Tottenham vs. Newcastle. Full time result odds had Tottenham at 3/4 and Newcastle at 15/4, with 14/5 for a draw. Log-in Winner today and don't miss out on the in-play betting action – it's bound to be a great match.
The Irish government has been forced to announce an increased delay on its impending online gambling tax. At present, it appears that operators serving the Irish market will not be subject to the new tax until first months of 2015 at the earliest. This plan to implement the tax can be traced back as far as 2011, when the government sought to apply the 1% tax on betting shop wagers to those also placed at the websites of online gambling operators. The tax will only be applied to Irish-based punters who make the bets. Malta is Questioning Tax To get to this point, the new tax legislation has been delayed on a number of occasions. The current delay has been the result of questioning from Malta, who also managed to delay the launch of similar legislation in the UK, and which came into law on 1 November 2014. Like in the situation with the UK, Malta is attempting to block the legislation because a number of Irish-serving online gambling operators are licensed under its jurisdiction. Consequently, this raises the potential issue of operators ceasing to pay Malta for licensing because they are now licensed in multiple jurisdictions. As of mid-December, the expectation is for the standstill to continue through January. Irish Frustration Irish finance minister Michael Noonan has spoken of his frustration at the delays and has promised “to progress all remaining stages of the Bill through the parliament” once the standstill has ben ended. Yet, the tax could still take months to become law, as there will be time required to pass the bill through parliament. Irish operator Paddy Power has stated that the tax increase would have cost its organisation €7 million in profit in 2013. However, the upcoming 1% rate is far below the 15% rate that is now applied to UK online gambling operations.
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