UIGEA, in violation of international free trade agreements

June 19, 2009 : Posted by sarah

Following a complaint filed by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), the European Commission presented its critical report on the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act” in the United States. The least we can say is that Brussels gives right to international association and dares to call the law “contrary to free trade rules”. It must be said that the UIGEA concerns particularly gambling operation based in Europe. So, the struggle goes on…

Mid-June, the “Guardian of the UE Treaties” published a report on U.S. laws on online gambling and its hardening provisions for European companies. The report is the result of an one-year investigation conducted in U.S. The object of the investigation was not only the current law, but also its reform and the effects it would have on online games suppliers.

The juridical battle on American gaming market involves another powerful organization, which has the right to punish its disobedient members. This is the World Trade Organization; both U.S. and Eu member states adhered to its agreements. On the European ground, UE may reprove its members claiming the violation of Treaties’ provisions such as the freedom to provide services within its territory. As for the U.S., the European Commission only could call the international agreements. Thus, the EC claims that U.S. measures impede free trade and are contrary to the WTO rules. At the same time, the report suggests they can resolve the disagreement by negotiating with the new administration.

“Online gambling is a complex and critical issue, and we don’t want to dictate to the United States the method for regulating the market” the Commissioner of the Chamber of Commerce said. “However, the United States must comply with WTO rules. I hope we will be able to find an amicable solution”.

The report approached, of course, the alarmist claim of the Remote Gambling Association. Filed on 11th March 2008, it stated that the UIGEA denies access to foreign funds and discriminates radically all foreigners wishing to play or wager in the United States. Nevertheless, in 2006, the most of the European companies decided to act on their own and left the U.S. market. But they still suffer from lawsuits for their past activities on this market. Therefore, the report also concludes that the prosecutions are not legally justified and they are discriminatory.

The European Commission now seeks a solution consistent with international agreements through a dialogue with American administration.

Chinese Government tightens its anti-gambling policy

June 12, 2009 : Posted by sarah

On June 9th, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made an important announcement: the Government was “hoping” to work with China’s neighbors for more effective border controls and notably for putting a limit on the gambling development along its borders.

According to recent reports, several citizens of the northern province of Shanxi have been kidnapped and held in wait for a ransom, after being lured to casinos located in Myanmar (ex Burma) and the Yunnan Province.

“The Chinse Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked our embassy in Myanmar to verify this information, and requested the Government of Myanmar to investigate the matter and to take measures to ensure freedom and security of Chinese citizens”, spokesman Qin Gand said.

In China, casinos and games like poker, blackjack, slot machines or bingo, are prohibited. Nevertheless, the Chinese Government is forced to accept the extraordinary growth of gambling industry in the independent Province of Macau. In this part of Asia, Macau is the gaming capital, a paradise for both players and investors.

The online casino field doesn’t submit to a better regime. Online casinos are also prohibited in China; moreover, as from July 1st, all personal computers sold in China will be endowed with software blocking web surfers’ access to gambling sites and other sites designated by the authorities.

William Hill bookmaker to launch a French poker room

June 03, 2009 : Posted by sarah

Strengthened after the merger with Playetch, the British company William Hill continues its advance in Europe, by launching a French version of its site, modernised and with some new improvements. The story of the English bookmaker goes back to the interwar period, when William Hill created a society for sports betting. This society recently became the first betting company in UK, ahead of its number one competitor Ladbrokes.

Meanwhile, it has developed by offering on its website casino games in addition to sports betting. Its reputation increased when the company proposed William Hill Poker Grand Prix, a show broadcast since 2006 on the British channel SkySports.

William Hill and Playetch merged on January 2009, on the basis of a contract for a period of 5 years. This allows Playetch to own 29% stake in the new entity created by the project “William Hill On-line”. This transaction, having amounted $250 million, is a boon for William Hill, because since then profits are steadily increasing.

In view of the forthcoming opening of the French market, the site has benefited from a makeover and has been integrally translated into French. Thus, the site has undergone some revisions of graphics and ergonomics.

Many tournaments will be available each day for all the members of IPOKER network. Sit’n Go’s, freerolls and many other tournaments will be offered on a regular basis.

The World Series of Poker attractions

May 27, 2009 : Posted by sarah

The World Series of Poker greet each year the biggest players in the world. This year, the series looks again explosive. From May 27th to July 15th, Las Vegas will celebrate the 40th anniversary of this prestigious tournament series that continue to crown legends of poker.

These world championships of poker are held annually in the gambling capital of the world, cover all variations of poker and offer honourable titles, including “the world champion of the year” one. In 2008, it was the very young Dane Peter Eastgate who won the Main Event – the main attraction of the Series.

The huge Main Event opens on July 3rd, with no fewer than four “Day 1″. 13 days of intensive competition between the best Texas Hold’em players will shape the final table that will take place in early November. Approximately 10.000 players will be expected to attend the event (including some having been qualified through online casino). With a €10.000 buy-in, a tremendous amount could “collapse” on the winner.

But besides this Main Event, the world of poker has eyes fixed on the first major tournament to be held. For the 40th anniversary of the WSOP, a €40.000 buy-in tournament is set to open May 28th. This can be considered a precaution method of the organizer: Harrah’s Entertainement, aware that the level of the Main Event is very uncertain, inaugurates an event reserved for professionals. In fact, only champions can afford the very expensive ticket and the 300 seats available will boost the prize pool at € 10 million. In recent years, many players still unknown came in the spotlight, like the title holder, Peter Eastgate. At 22, the young Dane excelled especially online before winning in Vegas.

The pros will have another challenge to take: win the maximum of gains by finishing in paid places of the 50 tournaments offered. Scotty Nguyen, crowned “the Prince of the poker” after his performance in 1998, has promised to stop if he doesn’t pick up at least $ 4 million. For purists, the Event which will crown the true poker master, is the HORSE event. It combines 5 variations of poker and has the capability to test the highest skills.

The economic downturn hits Lucien Barrière group

May 21, 2009 : Posted by sarah

The global financial crisis and the economic downturn keep on striking hard even the French game industry. In addition to American groups like Harrah’s Entertainment, which have been heavily affected by the decline in sales of gaming rooms, a prestigious group from Europe also announces loss of income. The group in question is Barrière, whose officials reported publicly a fall of their profit. After a fall of 15% of their activity in 2008, since the beginning of this year until now, the first French group, in terms of gross gaming revenue, evoke a decline of 12% of its turnover. The information was provided by Dominique Desseigne, the chief of the Supervisory Board. The total turnover of 1.2 billion euros achieved in 2008 risks not to be reached this year. As for the Partouche Group, the main challenger of Barrière and one of the leaders of the industry, this announced its first loss of 8.5 million in 2008.

However, besides gambling, Barrière has a fairly diversified business. Apart from its 35 casinos in France, the group is also the owner of sixteen luxury hotels and more than one hundred restaurants. Thus, to cope with the crisis, the company announced that no recruitment of staff would be made to replace the previous departures. In casinos, apart from the fall in income of games such as poker, the slot machines have also turned down. The opening of the gambling market in France, from 1st January 2010, as announced in the draft, provides more optimism for online casino operators.

Titan Poker organizes monthly freerolls for newcomers

May 12, 2009 : Posted by sarah

You are a poker player, but you are not yet enrolled in an online poker room? Well, it is time for you to become member of Titan Poker, a top parlor in the online casino and poker field, which is now offering a very attractive bonus program. The prestigious poker room has set aside 20.000$ exclusively for new members – the prize pool of a free poker tournament freeroll, earmarked monthly for new players’ awards.

The generous endowment of this tournament, combined with a deposit bonus, allow you to boost your bankroll from the beginning and to make a convenient start on Titan Poker. Download the Titan Poker software, create your own account, make your first deposit and you may collect your bonus. Three days after your initial deposit, you will receive tokens, which are valid for 3 months. So enjoy, because it would be a pity not to benefit of this unique opportunity! In fact, these tokens will be yours tickets for a moneymaking journey. Therefore, use these incentives for exercising and prepare you for the next challenge: the New Depositors Freeroll Satellites.

To reach the grand monthly final, all you have to do, as new member of the poker community, is to participate in the weekly freeroll tournaments organised under the name New Depositors Freeroll Satellites. These tournaments run every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 20h. They allow you to compete against players from around the world.

Each of the New Depositor Freeroll Satellites offers 50 places for the finals to be held monthly – at the end of each month, at 20h. This corresponds to approximately 1.000 seats available for the final event and, consequently, to more chances for you to reach the finals.

So, enjoy this wonderful welcome offer, because it is not going to repeat and you are new member only once! And, even if you don’t win the contest, there is no need to worry. Titan Poker is a generous poker room and you will have many others opportunities to take advantage of! Titan Poker offers indeed freerolls pretty regularly throughout the year and that will give you more chances to win nice amounts of money.

Harrah’s Entertainment, soon on the online gaming market

May 04, 2009 : Posted by sarah

Rumours on the possible arrival of Harrah’s Entertainment group on the online gambling market were eventually confirmed. Such an expansion for this prestigious group organizing the largest series of poker tournaments in the world – the WSOP- could prove particularly gainful. The decision is also significant for anticipating somehow the much awaited regularization of online casinos in USA. With a new administration at Washington, the legalization is from now on only a matter of time and Harrah’s casinos will be among the “conquerors” of the virtual. Therefore, they started to provide themselves with the means for dealing with the challenges once the U.S. market will reopen.

The former CEO of PartyGaming has therefore been chosen as the leader of Harrah’s new department. From the beginning, hiring Garber was meant to set up the arrival of Harrah’s on the market of online poker. Garber previously served as CEO of PartyGaming after the company had been drawn out of the U.S. market, following the guidelines of the UIGEA. Garber managed to keep his company afloat, despite a considerable loss of income, and his intensive experience in the industry of online gambling is a rich asset for Harrah’s in its attempt to conquer a new market.

PartyGaming, which has plead guilty to having illegally provided online gambling services in U.S. and accepted to pay a colossal $ 105 million penalty, is now back in the good graces of the U.S government and, in the event that the Republicam Barney Frank succeeded in imposing a legislation favorable to the online casino industry, Garber would be in the ideal position to negotiate with the government the entry in this market of the prestigious Harrah’s Entertainment.

Gary Loveman, chairman of the Harrah’s, has never hidden his desire to see the online gambling legalized and regulated in U.S. However, the news that Harrah’s is about to launch an online version of its casinos has been welcomed by many in the industry. With a strong image and an excellent notoriety, the use of the “WSOP” label will allow Harrah’s to reach and occupy a dominant position in the field.

Pacific poker for Aussie Millions

September 09, 2008 : Posted by admin

Everyone heard about Aussie millions, alias “the Australian Poker championship”. For those who do not yet know ,the Aussie Millions tournament is the most richly endowed tournament in the southern hemisphere. Standing at the prestigious Melbourne Crown Hotel, the event has become the most anticipated poker event of the year, with a prize pool accumulating of a 7.4 million Au$ for this year. Who doesn’t want to try their chance?
As the first poker event in “Land Down Under”, or land of Australia, the Aussi Millions has attracted the biggest names in poker, as Gus Hansen, the 2007 title holder, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Joseph Hachem, Nenad Medic, Shannon Shorr, Kristy Gazes, Erik Seidel and John Juanda. And this year, Pacific Poker added new names to this impressive list.
How can Pacific Poker make the dream of this pool come true? Well, simply by distributing every two weeks a package of 16.000 Au$ to cover not only the entry fees to the tournament, but also all the expenses, that may lead up to Melbourne travel and housing on the spot, when knowing that only the entrance fees for this tournament are 10.000 Au$ + 500 Au$. And all of this completely free thanks to Pacific Poker.
At the last event, 21 year old Russian Alexander Kostritsyn, crowned 2008 at Aussie Millions Champion Melbourne, Australia,Sunday 20 January 2008, came out victorious from the final table, especially against Erik Seidel, and left with over 1.630.000 Au$. The qualifying tournament for the direct Aussie Millions will be held in September.Considering that you can pocket more than one and a half million Australian dollars, it seems really appropriate to try and engage in this tournament.So,let your imagination free, close your eyes, you are the next Alexander Kostritsyn …

French casinos

September 08, 2008 : Posted by admin

Terrestrial casinos should connect to the services that the expert groups in this matter have to offer, ensuring the success in the matter. This strategy is the best for the two protagonists. The land casinos will benefit from the expertise and knowledge network of the casinos already in place. On the other hand, the online casinos will not have to worry about making the necessary in order to obtain a licence, since the french land casinos are well known as the white wolf by the authorities. This shocking partnership and the legalization of french market should encounter an explosion of connections in 2009. The french should rush to the casinos proposed by the mastodons of terrestrial casinos where the online sites should be a pure wonder.
This strategic alliance between the french terrestrial casinos and the marketing societies performing on the Internet is the sine qua condition for a quick success in the middle of the online game.
The land casinos are not the only performers interested in the online casino affairs. For example, major names as Vivendi, Orange, SFR and TF1 also have a eye on the virtual world. In addition, Stephane Courbit, a former pillar of Endemol, bought the online betting company Betclic. This company of online betting does not focus only on sports betting, but also on the online casino and virtual poker rooms.
The world of online games will take a 180 degrees turn in the coming months and the stakes are valued at several billion euros. The actors who wish to embark on this adventure have already taken their lead to the image of the important groups. The competition will be fierce and those who are the best could catch a train to a virtual world that is evolving with a high speed, not waiting for anybody.
Meet you at the and of 2009 to make a tour of horizon of the online games market which is rich in events and twists. case to follow.

Land casinos in the race for licence

September 08, 2008 : Posted by admin

The french casinos have anticipated this decision. For some several years already. The group Partouche was one of the main enthusiasts to open this market of online gaming, and Patrick Partouche did not hesitate in surveying the television stages in order to offer his vision of online gaming. As the government gave positive signs for legalisation of online games sites, other players announced their intention to embark on this adventure. This was the case in the first group of terrestrial casinos, the Barrier Group, which has clearly announced to be ready on the opening day of the market. the powerful group has begun to create an online version of fun casino for the french public, until its legalisation. thus, players can enjoy in french fake money and discover the multitude of casino games offered to them. The fun mode will offer the gamers the opportunity to see the platform, the games , various functions and will be available in real money once the green light is given by their makers.
Other groups are also on the “starting blocks”, and are willing to take part of the estimated several billion euros profits each year. All groups of land casinos have their eyes riveted to the online gaming industry, according to experts, the future of casinos. it could be that fans of the land casinos are turning increasingly towards the online platforms, although nothing can replace the ambiance of a real casino.
These land casinos have an advantage over certain groups of online casinos that have sprung on the Internet: connections with the state. Regular reports are sent to the top of the pyramid and everything is controlled. The gaming licence will be granted automatically to these groups since the french state knows who is behind these groups of confidence.
The weak point of these new casinos in the Internet domain is their lack of knowledge of the terrain. Indeed, for decades, online casinos are present on the canvas and gathers all necessary to break into this competitive environment. Large casinos groups have experienced the essentials, over the years, which enabled their casinos to survive in the landscape of the game row. Groups like Euro Partners (left to be having condemnable practices towards its partners), Wagershare, Intercasino or Party Gaming have the essential experience, over the years, which enabled their casinos to survive in the landscape of online gaming. It is noteworthy that some groups of online casinos do not have their own marketing department and outsource this task. There are certain companies specializing in marketing online affiliation and they know the workings of this industry that tends to explode. The network of affiliated and e-mailing specialized agencies is very important and possesses a know-how acquired only with time. These agencies have acquired such knowledge that the land casinos willing to launch themselves in online gaming have no choice but to merge with such an agency which knows exactly the virtual world.