Online Gambling News» Dan Taylor

Bank of America putting the squeeze on online gamblers

Dan Taylor — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:29:52 +0000

The company has altered the fine print on its “free” checking accounts, amending the rules to introduce a series of new fees. Under the new rule, all free checking accounts will require a higher balance and e-statements in lieu of the more traditional paper ones.

In addition, the company will introduce ancillary fees ranging from $6-$25 for those account holders that don’t use the bank’s other services.

The news is sure to drive several gamers from the institution, as the company’s reputation has already been shaken by problems related to their online banking feature which temporarily froze the accounts of many gamers for gaming transactions that the server labeled as suspicious, according to Casino Gambling Web. These fears proved unwarranted, however, as the server was actually down for all online banking customers.

Business News

MMA sports betting grounds and pounds iGaming business

Dan Taylor — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:29:47 +0000

Yet while classics like horseracing and basketball are still strong in the international gambling circuit, it seems a whole new sport is driving the iGaming business these days, and this one has a whole lot of dudes in board shorts.

OnlineCasinos.com is reporting that mixed martial arts (MMA) is fast becoming the hot pick at online gambling establishments around the globe. Driven primarily by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), MMA has become a fiercely competitive ground for punters who love the bloody action, the last-second rallies to win a fight and the fact that there is no off-season in the sport.

Unlike more traditional sports like rugby or baseball, punters wagering on MMA don’t deal with points spreads, instead opting for adaptable odds, or “moneylines.” These moneylines are meant to balance out a bookies sheet, so that everyone betting that Anderson Silva will waltz through his next opponent will have less heading their way than if whatever punching bag they throw at the UFC Middleweight Champion pulls of the upset.

Sports News

Everest Poker adds four new players to its pro team

Dan Taylor — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 07:29:39 +0000

The four representatives come from across Europe and are fixtures at Everest’s high stakes tables. New members include Spain’s Javier Martinez, the Netherlands’ Koen de Bakker, Tobias Wagner of Denmark and Leonard Trushe of France.

When asked about his new position on the team, Truche told the press that playing for Everest is a dream come true…presumably in a snooty accent while blowing smoke in the air.

“I cannot believe I am this lucky! After a terrific year with the Live the Dream team, I cannot wait to be a part of Team Everest and represent my favorite poker room,” said Truche.

Poker News

Online gambling industry now valued at $29.3 billion

Dan Taylor — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 07:29:36 +0000

These figures come courtesy of a recent study by Global Betting, which speculates that this number will only continue to grow as more countries and territories begin introducing online gambling legislation over the coming year.

“With the amount of countries that have legalized some form of online gambling, that number will most likely continue to grow over the next decade,” the company’s Gaming Analyst, Steve Schwartz, told the press. “If that is the case, the industry could become one of the most relied on in the world when it comes to tax revenue created.”

The study speculates that the growth could push the industry to more than $40 billion by the year 2014, though the ongoing struggles to legalize online gambling in the U.S. may be an impediment to that growth.

Business News

Party Casino looks to be a blackjack player’s haven

Dan Taylor — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:29:30 +0000

Running through the end of the week, the Jack in the Box promotion offers gamers a chance to win untold cash and prizes simply by playing the virtual tables. When a Jack in the Box symbol appears, gamers will receive everything from cash gifts, to bonuses to Party points…. which can be then traded in for cash gifts and bonuses.

Punters hoping to hit the jackpot have three games to choose from including Blackjack Multi Hand Pro, Blackjack Single Deck and Blackjack Bonus Pairs. As a stroke of marketing genius, the symbol has been programmed to be more likely to appear when gamers place more money on the line, so high rollers have a better chance of winning.

Marketing News

Caribbean gaming conference headed to the Dominican Republic

Dan Taylor — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:47:19 +0000

The show, which will again be hosted by the C&GS Group, will feature representatives from some of the world’s top online gambling companies, with individuals coming from software developers, banking associations, more than 60 online casinos and thousands of sports books – each hoping to gain a foothold in the emerging Latin American gaming market.

Companies already touted to participate include iovation, IGT and GTECH, as well as a hand full of land-based casinos from the region, according to OnlineCasinos.com.

Events will be held at the Sans Souci Ports Convention center on March 3-4. Though the island nation is not without its problems, attendees need not worry: this isn’t “kidnapping and stabbing Dominican Republic,” this is “White sand resorts and Mai Tais Dominican Republic.”

Conference News

Samsung Galaxy S2 could be a force in mobile gaming

Dan Taylor — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:47:12 +0000

No company has caught the Apple copycat bug quite as bad as Samsung. The company has already introduced its Galaxy tablet which looks, acts and quacks like an iPad, and now has launched its Samsung Galaxy S2 Smartphone which looks and functions exactly like a goddamn iPhone.

Unlike it’s Apple counterpart, the S2 operates on the Android 2.3 platform, though may be upgraded to the 2.4 system by the time it hits shelves later this year. That means that the phone will come prewired for the Android marketplace’s numerous online casino, sports betting and poker apps fresh out of the box. The announcement that Microgaming will be making all of its games Android compatible doesn’t hurt either.

Spec-wise, the phone will feature an upgraded 4.3-inch AMOLED+ screen that runs 80 percent more efficiently and improves colors to the Nth degree.

Lifestyle News

Gus Hansen up more than $5 million online

Dan Taylor — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:47:07 +0000

In the past 5 months, Hansen has stepped up his game in a big way, knocking around such high profile online players as Dan “Jungleman12″ Cates, David Benyamine, Phil Galfond and Tom fucking Dwan.

Just last night, the Great Dane made high stakes pro Rui Cao his bitch, taking a remarkable $500,000 off of the French Full Tilt player in just over 100 hands at the $500/$1,000 capped PLO tables. This brings Hansen’s winnings at PLO tables for 2011 alone to over $2 million, according to Pokerlistings.com.

Whether it was winning his first bracelet at the 2010 WSOPE or just the pestering phone calls of his creditors, to say that Hansen has silenced the haters (myself included) is an understatement.

Poker News

B.C. Lottery fixes online security problems

Dan Taylor — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:47:04 +0000

A recent investigation by B.C.’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, claims that the company did not take adequate steps to ensure the privacy of gamblers wagering on the site. The BCLC has even fessed up to the lax security, claiming that PlayNow experienced more than 130 data crossovers that allowed gamers to see the personal information of other players, according to the Vancouver Sun.

The breach was a particularly big deal, due to the sensitive nature of the information shared and the infancy of the online gambling community in the region.

“The inherent nature and high profile of online gaming websites expose customer personal information to increased risk,” wrote Denham in an official release. “Gambling attracts the attention of organized crime and these individuals or groups have the means and the inclination to test the security of online gaming platforms.”

Legal News

Betfair Legal Council grades European gaming laws

Dan Taylor — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:47:00 +0000

Not surprisingly, Mr. Warrington had some harsh words for France, a nation that has come under fire for its often repressive tax laws as it pertains to the gaming world.

“France is a bit too rigorous towards online bookmakers,” Warrington told the news provider, “as all of them are required to relocate their servers in French territory and pay ‘turnover tax’. As a result, many online bookmakers abandoned the French market.”

Similarly, Warrington warned lawmakers in Bulgaria not to make similar mistakes should adopt the online gambling legislation currently be mulled in their houses of government – claiming that taxation should be large enough to ensure a state profit but accommodating enough to create a “favorable climate for online gambling in the country.”

Legal News

New slot hopes to ride Vampire wave without sucking

Dan Taylor — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:46:57 +0000

Debuting at EUcasino this week is Blood and Vampires, a new 3D 20-payline slot game that seeks to capitalize on the popularity of vampire bullshit like Twilight, True Blood and the Vampire Diaries – note that ‘popularity’ may be a bit of hyperbole on that last one.

The game itself features a lot of the familiar graphics one would expect from a vampire-themed slot (ranging from bats, wolves and Dracula to blood, garlic and silver), and offers a maximum payout of 100,000 coins. There are even two bonus games floating around that offer punters the chance to win even more money.

Marketing News

Casino Rewards Network welcomes three more online casinos

Dan Taylor — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:47:23 +0000

The network, which recently added Casino Share, Grand Mondial and Quatro Casino to its roster of 22 online casinos, offers players at member casinos additional bonuses and chances to win cash and prizes through third-party promotions.

For their part, Casino Rewards is pleased to have added these new members, and vows to continue offering winning service to their new clientele.

“We are delighted to have three immensely popular online casinos to join our group,” C. Leigh, a spokesperson for the Casino Rewards Network, told the press. “Existing players at each casino will be well looked after under the CasinoRewards.com brand, and will benefit immediately from regular promotions and giveaways.”

Marketing News

Party Gaming may be sneaking back into the U.S.

Dan Taylor — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:46:52 +0000

Now, it seems like the Gibraltar-based company may have found it’s foothold back into the American market, as OnlineCasinoReports.com is reporting that PartyGaming will provide an online poker platform for one or more major American casinos.

Partygaming, which is currently in the process of merging with Austrian gaming giant BWin to form the largest gaming company in the world, has allegedly signed a b2b deal with Boyd Gaming, MGM, Las Vegas Sands and Caesars that will allow the company to offer iGaming solutions once the industry is legalized and regulated in the U.S.

The move will be something of a victory for PartGaming, which only recently settled its legal woes from its first run in the States.

Legal News

Chuck E. Cheese Meets Online Gambling

Dan Taylor — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:17:00 +0000

If you’ve ever said to yourself, “Gee, the only thing missing from my online gambling experience is a giant animatronic rat slinging shitty pizzas at an outrageous markup,” then you are in luck. Online gaming upstart YouMee Games is vowing to bring the innocence of arcade gaming to the online gambling community, even vowing to be the “Chuck E. Cheese of the internet” in a recent press release.

The San Francisco-based company’s business model, has gamers placing wagers by purchasing “tokens” that can be used to access a growing roster of puzzle and word games. The games are tournaments for which the winners receive tickets that can be traded for cash or prizes.

For the most part, the prizes are better than the shitty plastic mustaches or Chinese finger traps from the Rat’s place, often ranging from Amazon gift cards to digital cameras, but most tickets will likely be traded in for cash.

This gaming structure is nothing new, as Japanese Pachinko parlors have employed similar roundabout logic to maneuver around that country’s strict gambling laws.

“It’s completely skill-based competition. It’s legal,” said company founder Prita Uppal. “All the casual games you see and play on the Web are skill games – so, you can wage and compete and earn money.”

Marketing News

Online gambling industry backs Anderson Silva at UFC 126

Dan Taylor — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:19:46 +0000

While the bulk of online gambling enthusiasts have their eyes set on Sunday, sportsbooks are also taking bets for this weekend’s MMA extravaganza, UFC 126. While there are a number of bouts on the card which have punters losing their shit, the biggest bet of the night is on the Middleweight title bout between “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort and pound-for-pound the second greatest fighter in the world, Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

Over the years, Silva has made a name for himself by making punching bags of the best fighters, racking up both the longest title reign and the longest winning streak in the history of the UFC.

Standing across the ring is the sixth-best ranked fighter in the world in Vitor Belfort, the Gracie-trained jiu-jitsu master and former light heavyweight champion whose 19 career wins have seen 13 knockouts and 2 submissions.

By most accounts, Silva is expected to destroy his fellow Brazilian. Yet the Spider’s last win was a bit of a squeaker, and should the Phenom be able to pull off the upset, punters can look forward to a spritely +190 return on their investment.

Elsewhere on the card, veteran Rich Franklin looks set to take down former Ultimate Fighter winner Forrest Griffin in a bout that could lead to a light heavyweight title bout.

Sports News

Chris Medina proves an early favorite for American Idol betters

Dan Taylor — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:45:03 +0000

It’s winter and that means most sports are heading into hibernation, a fact that means two things: more local commercials featuring pro athletes hocking bullshit like used cars and furniture rentals; and online gamblers are looking to the entertainment industry to suit their gaming needs. One of the biggest events setting punters’ minds a flutter is American Idol, and in its second week, the show is already producing fan favorites.

During the show’s stop in Wisconsin, the land of cheese and Super Bowl rings offered the sob story/golden voice combination that has proven all but unstoppable on reality talent competitions like this in Chris Medina.

Medina has been with his girlfriend for eight years, engaged for two of them, when she was in a tragic car accident that left her with brain damage. The singer has become a makeshift caretaker for the girl, while still taking vocal lessons apparently, and wowed the judges with a passable rendition of the Script’s “Break Even.”

Though his history is more memorable than his voice, the fact that Medina’s backstory is television gold means he is a solid horse to back – for the earlier portion of the show at least, we’ll see what happens when the first set of American Idol Odds is released.

Entertainment News

Domain name sale could be a boon for New Jersey gaming companies

Dan Taylor — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:39:33 +0000

The online auction, which will kick off on Wednesday, will feature a wealth of .com and .us urls including igaming.us, picks.us and bettingexchance.us to name a few. The listings will be on a first-come first-serve basis, meaning that companies will have to compete for the more recognizable domains.

“Keyword domains always represent a good investment because they provide an actual advantage in search engine marketing, but gambling keyword names are also easy to monetize and if developed into a site, a gambling domain can provide a very good return on investment,” claims Perluigi Bucciolo, the founder of Gambling Invest and the owner of a name that must be fun to write in cursive.

The auction will be open to all comers, domestic and international, so the bidding could get competitive.

Business News

Legalized online gambling goes Greek in 2011

Dan Taylor — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:39:16 +0000

Reuters is reporting that Greece will award up to 50 internet gambling licenses by the end of the year, resulting in the creation of online casinos and card rooms, as well as the placement of thousands of low-stakes videolotto (VLT) machines in bars, cafes and children’s hospitals. Okay, maybe not in children’s hospitals.

Analysts believe that illegal gambling in the country draws in an estimated 4 billion euros each year, and the government hopes to carve a nice portion of that out for itself, with a 700 million euro haul anticipated for the first year.

“The bill is expected to be voted within the first quarter of the year,” a high ranking official, who has direct knowledge of the government’s plans, told the wire service on condition of anonymity. “Our aim is to tender the licenses by the end of the year.”

Legal News

Spin3 Enters Mobile Gaming Market

Dan Taylor — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:16:54 +0000

Online gambling is quickly going mobile, with many industry analysts speculating that more wagers will be coming from smartphones and tablets in the coming years than at brick and mortar sportsbooks and home PCs. As such, many companies across the iGaming industry are rushing into the mobile gaming market with the urgency of a meth addict running from the cops. One company that paced itself before entering the mobile gaming game is British mobile provider Spin3, who just recently launched its first mobile sportsbook app for the iPhone, iPod and iPad.

Powered by industry leader Microgaming, Spinsport is a white label product that will allow sportsbooks across the UK to accept wagers from gamblers on the go. The app’s first client is the 10Bet brand, but sources from within the company expect expansion to be swift.

“As a native iOS app, playable on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, SpinSport delivers the most advanced user experience available; a crucial advantage in this highly competitive and fast growing market,” claims Spin3 head Matti Zinder.”The rapid increase in the use of smartphones has led to amazing growth in mobile sports betting… Not only is there a big opportunity in sports betting, the move to mobile is a natural evolution and extension for any eGaming company.”

Marketing News

New betting plan gets Aussies in an uproar

Dan Taylor — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:38:29 +0000

The Australian Leisure and Hospitality (ALH) group, one of the largest pokies in the country and a subsidiary of Woolworths, is speaking out against the plan, claiming the online gambling policy was “deeply politicized” and would have a “seriously” negative impact on most of the country’s punters and betting establishments.

ALH claims that the plan will weigh the heaviest on pub owners and sportsbooks who operate poker machines, without negatively affecting the online gambling market too seriously one way or the other,

The company insists that Aussie gamblers will find new ways to gamble beyond these limits, legally or otherwise.

Legal News