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As far as charity events go, strictly for the betting and gambling industry, the BiG Sports Dinner is one of the top evenings of the year. After a very successful dinner last year, sponsors Microgaming as well as partners Yellow Digital, Metric Gaming, Online Casino Reports, Pentasia and many others have come together yet again for another wine and dine for charity in London at the Dorchester hotel. Last year's event raised over £12,000 for a variety of charities and this year's guest list promises much more. There are literally hundreds of millions of dollars that flood through the online gambling industry every month and many of the biggest brands, lotteries, sports betting platforms and other like companies, donate large sums of money to local charities in the places they operate. Many go even further and setup foundations bearing their own brands' name to ensure they can do some good with a portion of their earnings. Big Success Last Year Last year saw 250 attendees, whom were treated to an amazing course meal by one of London's top chefs, free flowing champagne and wine and many special performances. This year there are over 300 tickets already sold so it will undoubtedly be a bigger event. There is even an awards ceremony in which the award for Best Sports Betting Campaign and the Best use of a Sporting Star in a Betting Campaign will be announced. The black tie event will be hosted by former England rugby star Austin Healey and co-hosted by Sky Sports Soccer Saturday personality and former professional soccer player Chris Kamara. There will be an exclusive auction at the event with what event planners are calling, "money can't buy" items. There are even celebrity attendees booked for the evening including Harry Redknapp, Jason Leonard and Jamie Spencer to name a few. For Good Causes Donations from the evening will go to help five worthy charities: Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research in the UK, Meningitis Now, Restart The Rugby Players’ Charity, The Lord’s Taverners and Kinetic Coaching. Truly exemplary causes across the board.
On August 25, New Jersey's four-year effort to legalize sports betting ran into a brick wall when a three-judge panel of the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the state's plan to allow casinos and racetracks to offer sports betting. While state officials cannot technically appeal the Third Circuit Court’s decision, they can can ask for an "en banc" review, which means that the issue would be heard by all 23 judges instead of 3. What is the issue? The issue at hand is whether New Jersey's plan to add sports betting to casinos violates a 1992 federal ban on sports betting called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). New Jersey is pushing to allow sports betting because both Atlantic City casinos and the horse racing industry are struggling. But when the law was passed four years ago, the state was sued by the NCAA, NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, with the claim that tying sports betting to gambling threatens the integrity of the games and violates the federal ban. Thus far, the courts have ruled in favor of the leagues. The Next Step If New Jersey is not granted an “en banc” review, they can still petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. But he the court only grants about 1% of petitions, and New Jersey was already denied in 2013 during their first attempt. Other advocates say that New Jersey’s best hope is to lobby Congress to repeal or change the federal ban, but experts say that that course of action could take years. "I still think our best chance right now in the Third Circuit," commented Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), the leader behind the drive to legalize sports betting. Lesniak was also the mover behind the bill that allowed New Jersey to legalize online gambling, so perhaps there is still some hope for sports betting. But legalizing online sports betting in New Jersey? Don’t hold your breath.
Australians currently have access to a wide-ranging selection of top-level online casinos from some of the world’s leading operators. At a glance, some of the more familiar sites to Australian online gamblers will be Betspin Casino, Casino Mate, and Guts Casino. But all of that could change by Christmas of this year, as Australia’s government and Prime Minister Tony Abbott are planning to drastically change the nation’s online gambling legislation. At the core of the issue for the Australian government is that offshore gambling operators have the freedom to target the nation’s residents without concern for legislation. Senator Nick Xenophon has compared Australia’s 2001 legislation as being out-dated to the same extent as 140-year-old legislation. To resolve the situation, Australia has tasked social services minister Scott Morrison with performing a review of the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act. Review Said to Be in Good Faith Morrison has attempted to ease the concerns of offshore gambling operators by explaining that the government was initiating the review without “preconceived ideas” and would “engage in good faith” throughout the process. Xenophon, however, appears to have already made up his mind, given that he is already drafting revised legislation that would call for a complete ban on in-play betting and gambling marketing at sports events. Back in 2013, another review into the 2001 legislation determined that in-play betting should be legal in relation to the outcome of sporting events. However, no further action was taken after the 2013 review was published. Either way, it would appear that the future of in-play betting in Australia is at risk for offshore operators. In outlining what the review would entail, Morrison explained that he would seek the insight of gambling operators and international regulators before determining new legislation by the end of 2015. At this point, one of the most likely outcomes is that a national self-exclusion register is created to help problem gamblers protect themselves.
After a number of years, Paypal has been approved as an online and mobile payment option for online gambling operators to offer their players in Nevada, Delaware and in New Jersey. This is great news for US online gambling, as Paypal can give the industry boost that many US-based operators need during these first few years of US regulation and WSOP Poker is one of the first to offer the payment solution. In addition to WSOP online, Caesars online casino and Harrahs Casino will also begin to offer Paypal in New Jersey, with Caesars already offering in Delaware and Nevada. This will undoubtedly be music to the ears of millions of players that already use Paypal on a daily basis and operators are sure the decision to lift the Paypal ban will increase player traffic. 888 Still Out For the meantime, popular online poker platform 888 will not be offering Paypal to its customers, as they try to build a presence in Nevada. 888 Poker and WSOP both run on the same network in New Jersey and it is most-likely a matter of time until the poker giants offer the payment method to their players. The ban on Paypal in the US for online gambling was incredibly harsh. Before the ban was lifted, players even mentioning gambling in a comments section would leave one with a blocked and flagged account. Players are already using the service and it works just like it should. Players in New Jersey are calling the move "Huge" and "pretty sick", with market forecasters certain that the trend of online gambling and accepted payment methods in the US is set to grow in the near future. It is a big move and anyone living in the three states in which online gambling is legal, can use Paypal quite easily for its instant transactions on one of the safest platforms in the world today.
Serena Williams and Simona Halep were expected to advance with relative ease in the U.S. Open semifinals and set up an epic confrontation. A match between the world number one and the second best player would’ve generating tremendous interest, but it was not to be. Instead we’ll have a final between Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci, two of the best Italian players to have ever graced the tennis court. Experience Prevails over Youth Halep battled through in the quarterfinals and was credited with the first chance against Flavia Pennetta, yet she started the game slowly and never recovered. The Italian was clearly the better player and with this victory, she came a step closer to winning a grand slam tournament for the first time in her life. Flavia is no stranger to the late stages of the US Open, as she made the semifinals before but this is her best performance at Flushing Meadows. She will take on Roberta Vinci, who is just as experienced as she is, but this time she will start as favorite. It’s interesting to see how she will handle the pressure now that bookmakers, including bet365 sports favor her to prevail at odds of 4/9. A Major Upset on Arthur Ashe Roberta Vinci defeating the reigning champion and the best player in the world was one of the biggest surprises in U.S. Open history. The Italian came out firing on all cylinders and even though she lost the opening set, she brilliantly rebounded to win the second. The final set was a thriller but the Italian never wavered and one break was all it took for her to win what was probably the most important game of her career. The same bookmaker offers odds of 7/4 for her to replicate that performance and win the Women’s US Open Final against Flavia Pennetta.
The virtual market of online gambling is growing, with gross winnings expected to reach a very impressive €28.24bn this year. Expanding Use Needs Currency With the amount of countries and states regulating online gambling expanding, the growth of this virtual wagering industry needs a virtual currency to sustain it. Bitcoin is set to become that currency. Many online casinos already accept Bitcoin, such as Omni Slots Casino, Coin Palace Casino and Jubise Casino. More are sure to follow. That's because while Bitcoin gambling constitutes only a small proportion of current online gambling revenue, Bitcoin's key features such as low costs and speedy payments put Bitcoin in pole position among cryptocurrency competitors to become the cryptocurrency of choice. Key External Factor A key external factor affecting the success of the digital currency includes regulation. Not all markets are equally receptive to any digital currency. For instance, pioneering Bitcoin betting site SatoshiDice does not operate in the U.S. because of stringent federal gambling laws. In direct response to a new wave of internet gambling sites in 2006, the US Justice Department introduced the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. The UIGEA outlawed the processing of payments originating in US banks, which for obvious reasons cut out the vast majority of US players. The Cryptocurrency Solution Some providers seem to have found the solution: offering bets via Bitcoin exclusively, By not using US banks for play, using cryptocurrency opens the door for UIGEA-compliant online gambling in the US by giving US players the option of utilizing their own prepaid cryptocurrency accounts to wager online in UIGEA compliant provider sites. If cryptocurrency is the solution, then Bitcoin, as the most popular and efficient cryptocurrency payment system, can very reasonably be called the payment system of the future for online gambling. Unless, of course, the UIGEA is repealed.
An expansive Summer for Endorphina continues. Busy August Punctuated Last month that has seen the rising Prague-based company make a splash at Kazakhstan Gaming Congress as a springboard to Romania's EAE in Romania and sign deals with Fortune Jack and 7BitCasino concludes with the announcement of two new partnerships. The New Partners Bit Starz and Chance Hill are the latest providers to sign on with the innovative software development and slot game provider. As far as slots, Endorphina currently offers 32 slots utilizing its eye-popping graphics with more games to be added shortly. In Bit Starz, Endorphina finds an innovative and pioneering partner. Powered by the SoftSwiss platform, BitStarz Casino offerings instant-play gaming on any device for both bitcoin and real money customers. Originally solely a bitcoin casino, BitStarz is now the first to offer play for both. Bit Starz Reactions Endorphina Sales Head Ruslan Lyulko expressed delight at being able to provide games to Bit Starz players, citing the recognition of the provider as one the top rated casinos in the iGaming community in general. BitStarz Marketing Manager said of the deal that the introduction of Endorphina games to their players significantly expands player gaming options while maintaining a high standard of quality. She also expressed her delight at being able to offer such an innovative range of games to bitcoin customers as well as real money players. Chance Hill Reactions The other partner Endorphina has linked up with is Madrid-based Chance Hill. Licensed in Curacao, the operator launched barely a month ago. Marketing itself based on the principle of a strong first impression, the provider is making an early splash with a variety of new bonuses which of course will be offered through the new games from Endorphina that the new entrant will offer to its rapidly growing list of players. More clients for Endorphina's range of high quality Flash-based slot games for online casinos are sure to follow.
Bet365 Casino has plenty of exciting slot machines, table games and video pokers to keep players entertained for months in a row. Whenever a new title is added to their stellar collection, genuine gamblers have a new reason to celebrate and this is such an occasion. The online gambling operator has announced the introduction of the Live Hi-Lo Gambler, a brand-new game that builds on the popularity of a very popular type of poker. Make Correct Predictions to Win Generous Prizes Live Hi-Lo Gambler might be a new game but it has rules that are easy to pick up and master, so beginners have the same chances as savvy players to win. In a nutshell, participants are expected to correctly predict the next card the dealer will draw, in comparison to the base card. The fact that this game is played against real dealers greatly simplifies the task of new players, as everything happens in real-time. The games run on a daily basis from 2 PM to 1 AM GMT, so players have a wide window of opportunity to learn the ropes and win great cash rewards. How to Play Live Hi-Lo Gambler It all starts with the live dealer revealing the base card or burning three cards if a new table has opened. Players have a couple of seconds to decide which are the optimal bets and wager on the value of the next card. There are several positions to contemplate, so players decide how high the risks can get, while they also have the option of pressing the Skip button and wait for the next round. After the “No More Bets” button lights up, all you have to do is to patiently wait for the outcome and collect your profits if you made the right prediction. Winners can collect all or a partial amount of their profits and leave the rest for the next wager.
After the major upsets that rocked the US open on Friday evening, tennis players were waiting to see whether underdogs would prevail in the men’s semifinals as well. It was not to be as both Federer and Djokovic advanced with ease and set up an epic confrontation in the final stage. Djokovic Overpowers Big-Serving Cilic The Croat is famous for his first serve and he managed to extract an astonishing amount from this asset, but it wouldn’t help him against the world number one. Djokovic was outstanding in the first set and he won without conceding a single game, then continued his onslaught, to win the second almost as easily. Cilic managed to break for the first time in the third set, but his celebration was short-lived as his opponent got right back in the match. This was a one-sided confrontation and a rather forgettable match for the reigning champion, but a great way to set up a formidable final for Novak. Federer Priced as Narrow Underdog The highly anticipated dual between the best Swiss players in history has resulted in an emphatic victory for Federer, who wrapped up a stellar performance on US soil. Two of the players with the best backhand in the ATP circuit produced the show that tennis fans were hoping for and they probably wished for the match to go on for at least one more set. It rarely happens that Djokovic is credited with the 2nd chance against an opponent these days and bookies are reluctant to offer similar odds. The manner in which Federer has dominated the US Open so far fully justifies their willingness to offer odds of 11/10 on the Swiss’ victory in the final act. Those who bet on him at bet365 sport will double their investment if the multiple champion manages to win the U.S. Open.
Scandinavia is a huge gaming market. Where's the Expansion? Encompassing three prominent and eager European gambling markets with high concentrations of fluidity, this seems an ideal market for expansion and highly attractive place to apply for licensing. Yet the market seems to be contracting in the region's largest market. In 2014, Swedish online gambling revenues hit a sizable $2.4 billion, a figure that nonetheless represented a drop from the previous year's results. The apparent decline has been linked to an untimely set of guidelines that the government issued to tackle gambling addiction. The “responsible gambling measures” introduced at the end of 2013 came off as rather restrictive, with the intentional of addressing the marketing of games “considered problematic from a gaming responsibility perspective,” according to Sweden's state-owned gambling provider Svenska Spel’s head of Corporate Social Responsibility Zenita Strandänger. Impact of Restrictions The impact of this restriction is beginning to be seen now, as net gaming revenues for Svenska Spel dropped 4.7% in Q1 2015 compared to 2014. However, online revenues still achieved 5.5% growth, with mobile growth area up a whopping 50% for the quarter. Tighter regulations are only part of the issue. Svenska Spel also claims the lack of overall growth is due to increased competition from international online bookmakers. As for domestic competition, Sweden's Betsson saw revenues rise 23% to $355 million in 2014, with 25% of that from mobile betting. At the same time, the company absorbed a $2.3 million loss in poker revenues, attributed to “a continued decreased level of activity in poker networks.” The attractiveness of the market to new competitors is no doubt tempered by the existence of a government-owned competitor in an otherwise free and open market. This could certainly make smaller competitors think twice about investing in competition in that country or region. Popular Online Casinos in Sweden Meanwhile, what is clear is that online gambling continues to grow, a fact that major online casinos already popular in Sweden such as Mr. Green Casino, Cherry Casino and Guts Casino are enjoying. How quickly the market expands in Scandinavia may well be linked to the extent of influence that the state-owned gambling companies exert on their respective markets.
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