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A trio of new releases can now be found at Microgaming casinos on February 4. That means Cricket Star, Golden Era, and Lucky Firecracker are now available at All Slots Casino, BETAT Casino, and Platinum Play Casino. Check out the key features of the slot games below… Be a Cricket Star Cricket Star is a mobile-ready slot that features Microgaming’s popular 243 ways of winning design. To create the feel of a cricket match, Microgaming has added fans, players, and referees as the symbols appearing on the five reels. During play, it is possible to trigger Rolling Rails for a multiplier and up to 25 free spins, and these can potentially keep on coming. A random feature is Wild Wickets, which can see reels two, three, or four expand to create an expanded wild symbol that covers the whole reel. Experience Golden Era Take a trip back in time to the heyday of Old Hollywood with Golden Era, a slot game that is a must-play for classic movie fans. Exuding style and glamour, Golden Era is built on five reels and presents 15 paylines for players to win on. Players will welcome the opportunity to pick their own bonus when this feature is triggered. Option number one is to select movies in exchange for cash rewards, while option number two is to claim 12 free spins complimented by wild reels. Celebrate with Lucky Firecracker Capping off this wave of new releases is a slot game themed on Chinese New Year. Lucky Firecracker is designed with vibrant imagery that conveys the warm sense of celebration that goes with this iconic day in the Chinese calendar. Lucky Firecracker is similar to Cricket Star in that it also has 243 ways of winning over its five reels. Microgaming has also added a gamble feature along with up to 15 free spins and a 3x multiplier.
It seems as though 2015 will see another U.S. state legalize online poker, and that state is California. Two bills were introduced early this session in favor of regulating the online gambling industry; the only question that remains is who should control the regulation. It is, after all, quite a profitable business. Online Poker in California? Card clubs, Indian tribes, race tracks and out-of-state gaming companies are all candidates for setting out California’s regulations, but as of now, none of the groups have managed to come to any sort of agreement. The conflict of interests has been playing out for almost ten years, and during this time California residents have had to find their own sources of online poker: namely, illegal operators. Proponents of passing through legislation for online gambling have argued that during this time, California has lost out on millions of potential tax dollars from this unregulated industry. Iowa: Fantasy Sports Winnings No Longer a Fantasy While California is pushing for online gambling legislation, Iowa is pushing for another type of legalized gambling: fantasy sports. As of now, Iowa is one of the only states in America where fantasy sports games are illegal. What this means practically is that while residents of Iowa can actually play and bet on fantasy sports, they cannot collect the cash or prizes if they win. Jeff Danielson, chairman of the Senate State Government Committee, said he wants to change Iowa law to allow sports games before a potential blowout, which could occur if a player hits a major prize but is then prohibited from collecting his winnings. It is estimated that at least 350,000 Iowans engage in fantasy sports, and Danielson says that he wants to be “proactive” to enable these people to collect their winnings - and he wants to do so before an uncomfortable situation actually occurs. Towards this end, two bills have been introduced this session, both of which would make it legal for Iowans to collect cash and prizes from fantasy sports betting.
Affiliate program AffEurope has recently closed its doors, cutting off the income to the affiliates who sent players to its casinos which still remain open: City Club, Crown Europe and City Tower. It is always very saddening to see such news from the world of affiliate programs especially when we thought that the days of ripping off affiliates were past us. One Day Notice On December 30th 2014, AffEurope sent a mail to its affiliates announcing the closure of the program at the very next day, December 31st, effectively giving the affiliates a one day notice – something which is thought of as inappropriate in the business world and in any world for that matter. To add salt to the wound, AffEurope has not fulfilled its promise that affiliates will be paid out in full the funds they were owed. Affiliates Cheated Perhaps the most shocking part of the story is that the three AffEurope online casinos are still up and running in operation – still accepting new players. These casinos are profiting from players which were sent by the affiliates who were part of AffEurope's affiliate program, but the affiliates are not seeing another dime from AffEurope which is supposed to pay commissions to the different affiliates and webmasters. In other words, AffEurope has committed commission theft and lied to its affiliates. Cashgrab Confirmed Due to AffEurope's conduct of business or lack thereof, we at Online Casino Reports strongly recommend players not to play at any of their three online casinos listed above. Hard working affiliates and webmasters were cheated out of their money after hard work and a lot of time invested in an affiliate program that presents itself as legit and professional. Any positive past experience with AffEurope is now erased due to the brand's shady and dishonest behavior which threatens to harm the affiliate world as a whole.
France's newly regulated iGaming sector is living off of sports betting right now. Loose ends Without online sports betting, France regulated sector might be in trouble, because online poker stakes and online horse racing pari mutuel volumes dropped off, despite stabilising tournament fees. Growth for Betting The fourth quarter of 2014 brought returns of 22% growth for quarterly stakes and 31% growth for annuals. France's regulator ARJEL reports that online betting stakes rose to stakes of €322m during the quarter, over €264m in 2013, with annual stakes up to €1.1bn from €848m over the 2013. The profits for the quarter remained the same at €54m but saw an annual jump of 38% to €227m (€164m in 2013). Not surprisingly, football proved to be the leading sport for online bettors, accounting for 64% of online stakes, with basketball next at 15%, a jump of four points from the previous year; and tennis placing third in market share at 9%. As for overall participation, active player accounts rose a significant 36% to 1,142,000 in 2014 (842,000 in 2013). In the retail sector, similar advances were recorded with market monopoly Française des jeux showing a 20% rise in stakes to reach the €2bn for 2014 in large part due to the World Cup as well as the consistently competitive domestic football league. Carrying the Load The strengths of these sectors are not only encouraging, but necessary as stakes for online horse racing pari mutuel dropped 7% year-on-year to €1.03bn, down to 2011 levels, with quarterly volume falling 2% to €271.8m, as opposed to the €278m recorded for the third quarter of 2013. Online poker showed cash issues with quarterly stakes continuing to drop--down 12% to €1bn compared from the €1.2bn recorded in 2013, with annual stakes down to €4.3bn from the 2013 total of €5bn. Balance for Sustainability Sports betting was always going to be reliable, but France's market needs to be balanced in order for long-term sustainability of the market in the new regulation era.
Big Four accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) does not approve of the Portuguese government's online sports betting regulation, and has let them know about it. Millions in Taxes to be Lost PwC has warned the Portuguese government gambling authority that they stand to lose €20m in tax receipts if they do not fix their proposed online sports betting tax regime, saying the regulated market will be “small” and “inefficient.” PwC's recommendations were expressed to Portugal's in a study for the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and presented to Portugal’s Commission for Economy and Public Works. Turnover-based Taxation the Concern The misgivings were specifically based on the government's plan for a turnover-based levy. PwC's proposed solution was a switch to what they called an alternative gross gaming revenues-based tax model, an adaptation which PwC estimates could be worth an additional €20m in tax receipts within three years. RGA was vociferous in its support of the study, saying that “Current taxation plans will lead to the loss of competitiveness for regulated operators and encourage consumers to use the non-regulated market.” French Example of Market Reduction The concern was rooted in the French market's bottoming out, as a similar tax plan approved there resulted in the departure of 18 of 35 after regime's first year due to lack of profitability. In general, PwC has pointed out that the market percentage of license operators in turnover-based tax regimes has so far led to unfavorable absorption rates (the amount of operators participating in national markets). Private operators are clearly turned off by presiding government taxes being fixed to profit levels, where the more an operator makes, the more taxes they have to pay, discouraging successful enterprise. The study pointed out how other similarly taxed countries have experienced immediate market reduction, with GGR-taxed countries such as Denmark (82% absorption) and Spain (52%) already showing operator losses, with the trend continuing downward with France (25%) and Portugal expected to be lower than 20%. In other words, PwC projects over four fifths of licensed operators to cease operations in the first year of Portugal's proposed regulation system. Learn From Recent History Moving forward, it would clearly be prudent for governments to consult research and real-life precedents in adapting incoming tax regimes if they want to experience sustainable benefits.
Following a nil-nil draw at Anfield almost two weeks ago, Bolton Wanderers and Liverpool meet again today for the English FA Cup fourth round replay (19:45 UK time). Bolton Bolton is struggling to finish as high as it can in the Championship League this season, but meanwhile all the team can manage is the middle of the table. With 14 points, Bolton have had 9 wins, 7 draws and 12 losses. However, the team's league performance doesn't necessarily replicate itself in the FA Cup which is a comfortable place for shocking giant slayings. Will Bolton be up to the task? Some have commented on Bolton's "secret weapon" in the image of Zach Clough, the young 19 year old forward who scored two goals in the 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Saturday. Liverpool Liverpool faces a tough fight today at Bolton which could have them bogged down in mud, wishing they had won the Anfield fixture. Bolton are without a win since mid-January and they'll be hungry for knocking out the big red team, but Liverpool itself is presented in a good condition with three consecutive wins in the Premier League. Liverpool was eliminated from the Capital One Cup by top Premier League rivals Chelsea last week and boss Brendan Rodgers said that this will push his team ahead to winning the game tonight. Captain Steven Gerrard is fit and set to make his 700th club appearance tonight and he will surely want to leave a good impression for that special number. In goalscorer bets look for Brazilian international Coutinho who troubled Chelsea's defense in last week's game and will look himself to deliver a lasting performance. Look for other strong players like Daniel Sturridge who's making a comeback, Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling. Live Betting Odds Over at Winner Sports, full time result odds had Bolton at 11/2 to win and Liverpool at 8/15; in "To Qualify" Bolton was 3/1 and Liverpool 1/4. Tune in Winner this evening for live coverage of the game with in-play betting markets to be placed as the action unfolds on the pitch.
The fight for online gambling regulation in South Africa has reached new heights in the past few weeks, leading some to outright declarations that regulation will soon occur. But the declarations were way too early, as South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Gambling Board (NGB) reaffirmed their opposition to online gambling. Not All Hope Lost However, not all hope is lost. The Remote Gambling Bill proposing online gambling regulation is slated for discussion in South Africa's Parliament this month. In an opinion piece published in the South African "Business Report" newspaper, Democratic Alliance Parliament member Geordin Hill-Lewis who gazetted the bill remained hopeful that despite all the pessimism, his bill will pass. Public Participation Hill-Lewis who also serves as shadow minister of the DTI stressed the point that when his bill comes to Parliament, its fate will be decided by MPs in the Parliament and not by the hardline stance taken by the DTI. Hill-Lewis asserted that the South African public will have a say in the process: "We will have a thorough public participation process and the DTI is free to make their case before the committee. However, the final decision is up to the committee itself. If the bill passes, then the DTI will have to implement it, whether they like it or not." No Regulation is Hazardous Furthermore, Hill-Lewis claims that an outright ban on online gambling with no enforcement is likened to no ban at all – South Africans gamble online illegally and the social consequences of this are far worse than those the DTI and NGB are so concerned about – nowadays there is only one NGB inspector for the entire country. The bill Hill-Lewis brought to the table is based on international best practice and research and it's meant to bring order to the scene. Regulation will also protect vulnerable people from online gambling which could be hazardous to them, and it will give "meat" to the NGB as it will be able to know who is gambling, who is operating the gambling sites and the lost revenues from illegal gambling will go to the state's coffers. DTI Position Prone to Change Hill-Lewis believes that the DTI is not locked in its decision as it said on record that it is open to hear better arguments which will change its mind. Hill-Lewis vowed to take the DTI for their word and urged all interested parties to attend the parliamentary public hearings. We'll bring you more updates as online gambling regulation reaches critical phases in South Africa.
As part of its association with global gambling operator bwin.party, Scientific Games (SG) has initiated the distribution of a selected group of its online slots to the residents of New Jersey. From February 2015, the registered players of Borgata Casino and the New Jersey arm of PartyPoker will have access to SG video slots. Residents who frequent New Jersey’s casinos in Atlantic City will already be familiar with titles like Zeus III and Spartacus: Gladiator of Rome, which also exist in the form of land-based slot games. Well, now there will be no need to pay an expensive trip to a casino when they can easily be found online. Providing the video slots to the online casinos will be Williams (WMS), a development studio owned by SG. Convergence of Casinos and Online Speaking for Borgata Casino was Ted Herzchel, who works in the capacity of vice president of slot operations. He made the following announcement about the release of the games: “The Williams studio content from their game library offers unique styles of play,” and that it “will resonate with our current online players.” Meanwhile, PartyPoker group director Jeffrey Haas believes that the games will help its online casino platform in New Jersey to “deliver an even better experience to our customers and sustain our position as a market leader.” Either way, it is positive to see casino sites making efforts to improve the player experience by adding new games. There’s nothing duller than online casinos that make few upgrades. Speaking for SG, a vice president named Bob Hays highlighted the emerging trend of the “convergence of online and brick-and-mortar casino entertainment by offering players the same authentic slot content wherever they want to play.” Just this week, IGT planned a digital and land-based launch for its Prowling Panther slot. This is definitely a trend to monitor in 2015.
Georgia is not so well-known as a country, but it is a prominent player in the iGaming industry. Georgia's Long-Standing iGaming Effectiveness on Display Having legalized gambling almost 25 years ago, the Georgia Gaming Congress on February 20th represents an attractive opportunity for iGaming professionals worldwide. This country is unique in the manner in which the country's authorities have adapted regulation legislation to take advantage of the geographical conditions that the country offers in providing a fortified, stable, modernized yet innovative iGaming environment for operators. In Georgia, the state budget has expanded along with the industry, and the complementary regulatory and geographical conditions represent a model for insights into expanding iGaming for attendees, as the number of high-end casinos has improved along with online iGaming service, as a successful and steady contributor to the Georgia state budget. Conference Highlight: Exclusive Casino Tour One attractive feature of this year's Conference which illuminates the effectiveness of these measures includes the business tour to the best casinos of Tbilisi to be held within the Gaming Congress Georgia. GCG organizer Smile-Expo invites everybody interested in the gaming industry, from business owners to those planning to invest or expand, to join forces in touring business sites in Tbilisi, in a unique event that allows all to see gambling venues in operation up close and personal in the heart of the Georgian state. Luxurious casinos included on the Tbilisi Tour include Iberia, Shangri-La and Adjara, heading the list of visitation sites available to all those taking part in the international "Business tour within Gaming Congress Georgia" program taking place in the 2015 version. The GCG affords the opportunity for all to get acquainted with the adapted and innovative management systems of Georgia gambling businesses, and will feature business and informal meetings with owners and managers of the top gambling establishments in the country along with the country's biggest industry players. Georgia: iGaming Leader Designed to promote international cooperation and partnership in the gambling business, Georgia all in all represents a unique site familiarized with developing gaming zones in the outposts of Russia and Ukraine, sure to provide all attendees with insights into entering into or continuing operations in otherwise foreign territories, serving to expand the scope and capabilities of all attendees looking to expand their online or offline casino businesses.
All eyes will be on Madrid tonight as the Euroleague Top 16 rolls into Round 6. Barcelona and Real Madrid will clash at Barclaycard Center, as Group E co-leaders (ahead on points for and against) try to beat the visitors in hopes of staying on top for the next round. Real Madrid is currently 4-1, while their Spanish League rivals Barcelona are 3-2 and in third place just behind Maccabi Tel Aviv. Barcelona is winning the rivalry over the last 20 games but Real has won the previous two meetings in 2013 and 2014 in the Euroleague semifinals. Madrid has been virtually unstoppable in the Top 16 so far, averaging 84 points for and 73.2 points against, good enough for 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The visitors will need to see Justin Doellman out rebound Felipe Reyes, which is easier said than done, as the Madrid rebound king is at his best seemingly at all times. Xavi Pascual, Head Coach of Barcelona will have to deal with some injuries to his backcourt but still has Huertas at Point and his powerful combination of Abrines, Jackson and Thomas on the wings. Live In-Play Euroleague Markets Bet365 Sports has a number of betting props available for tonight’s game, including both pre-game and live in-play markets. Real Madrid are the favorites to win tonight and bet365 has them at 1.50, while Barca comes into the underdog position at 2.65. The Spread is at -4.5 for Madrid and +4.5 for Barcelona at 1.80 and 2.00 respectively. There are attractive lines for Race to 20 points, Winning margin and much more. Throughout the game, bet365 is also offering a number of live in-play markets, which are an excellent way to make lucrative cash during all four quarters. In Play bets on teams, players and points are all available for tonight's game. Don’t miss the El Clasico, live at 19:45 UK time, a crucial game for both teams.
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