Here you will find all the latest gambling news from around the world with a special focus on the global online gambling market.

April 10, 2008

Time to Fold

A trans-Atlantic spat over online gambling may help rewrite the rules of the game for Internet commerce across borders. For a change, the Europeans stand on the side of free trade, while America dabbles in regulatory overreach.

The European Union last month launched an internal probe into whether the U.S. Justice Department selectively enforces its antigambling laws against European online firms that offer wagers on sports events. Brussels is making a narrow legal point that Washington discriminates against Europeans by simultaneously permitting U.S. Internet horse betting. That's against World Trade Organization rules, and the case may end up there.

The U.S. last year lost a similar WTO online gambling case against Antigua and Barbuda. The island nation argued that U.S. online gambling rules violated Washington's GATT commitments to open its market in "recreational, cultural and sporting services." The U.S. countered that its policies were justified to protect public morals and public order, a legitimate exception under WTO rules. But the WTO panel ruled that America wasn't applying its restrictions equally to foreigners and domestic operators. U.S. online horse-betting sites aren't banned.

Washington could have stood down then. Instead, it is "threatening and pressing criminal prosecutions, forfeitures and other enforcement actions against foreign online gaming operators," according to the London-based Remote Gambling Association, which took the complaint to the EU. In doing so, Washington is also practicing a form of universal jurisdiction by applying domestic law to foreigners beyond its borders – a legal interpretation that the U.S. has, rightly, condemned in other cases.

In 2006, the former chairman of U.K.-based gambling firm Sportingbet, Peter Dicks, was detained in New York. The Briton was wanted in Louisiana on online gambling charges. Then-New York Governor George Pataki declined to sign a warrant extraditing him, and he was released. Many European industry executives now no longer stop over in the U.S., let alone visit the country, for fear of arrest. "There is a list of wanted people but nobody knows who's on it," said Clive Hawswood of the Remote Gambling Association.

Justice has continued to threaten these companies even though the alleged transgressions are all in the past, the association's complaint says. The sites stopped offering their services to U.S. customers after the U.S. tightened its antigambling laws in 2006. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act requires financial institutions to identify and block gambling-related payments.

As it happens, the U.S. ban on online betting is also impractical. At a Congressional hearing last week, the American Bankers Association explained how difficult it is to identify customers engaged in illegal Internet games. The association's Wayne Abernathy said the law makes banks "police, prosecutors, judges and executing marshals in place of real enforcement officers."

We have our differences with House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, but he may have been on to something when he introduced a bill to exempt licensed operators from the ban. Gambling is a vice, and social problems attach themselves to it. By legalizing and regulating the business, however, Washington could more effectively battle such problems as underage gambling and addiction. It would also avoid unnecessary trade tiffs with its leading commercial partners. And it would exempt cyberspace from overaggressive regulators, in America or anywhere else.
 

Gambling911.com Apologizes for Breaking Up Another Relationship

Gambling911.com has expressed deep regret for posting the photo of a sportsbook employee being viciously groped by an online poker scammer - one Allan Grimard, who was implicated in some "insider" monkey business last fall. 

"Gambling911 never wants to break up loving relationships," expressed Payton O'Brien, the website's Senior Editor.

Grimard is seen attempting to violate a beautiful young Latina girl at a party held more than three years ago. 

The girl's boyfriend saw the photo and proceeded to get upset with the innocent lass.

Our advise to the young man.  Do you really think your girlfriend wanted that snake tongue in her ear?

It is pretty obvious from the photo she wants nothing to do with scammer Allan Grimard.

Who can blame her for being horrified when that photo appeared.

Gambling911.com believed this young lady to be some celebrity at the party and not a sportsbook employee.  We would never have put such a photo up revealing her identity had we known.

"It is time for these two (the girl and her real boyfriend) to forgive and try to forget this horrible incident she had no control over," said O'Brien. 

Annually in the United States, 503,485 women are stalked by sex perpetrators. 

April 9, 2008

Online Poker in Germany Despite Legal Quagmire

There will be online poker in Germany despite that nation's outlawing the activity effective January 1, 2008.  There is no stopping the Germans from playing online poker.  Poker is in Germany's blood.

According to the 2008 Addiction Yearbook, between 200,000 and 290,000 Germans regularly play poker on the Internet. In 2006, they were estimated to have spent around 1 million euros gambling online.

Deutsche Welle this week illustrates Germany's penchant for poker in a riveting report that focuses on one of its chief poker stars - not to mention - poker legend - Boris Becker.

Nine years after retiring from the sport, Becker is now the spokesperson for an online poker website.

But, as Deutsche Welle points out, in Germany, it's only legal to gamble for money in casinos, leaving the booming Internet market in a grey area.

April 8, 2008

Betting on the 2008 US Masters Grows in Popularity

If your desire is to start betting on the 2008 US Masters this week, you are in good company.  The activity has drawn extensive interest, more so than in any past years.

While not on par (excuse the pun) with the likes of the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby or even the Academy Awards, US Masters Golf betting has its legions of supporters.  Then again, with a few days leading up to the event, traffic was really starting to explode.

Read More Here
 

Burger King Banned in Costa Rica

For the average bookie living in Costa Rica - hub of the billion dollar online gambling industry - Burger King makes up a vital part of daily dietary needs.  For a while though it appeared as if the Burger King might actually be banned in the peaceful Central American nation.

In the past, bookmakers have actually offered betting odds on whether the Burger King will score a touchdown as part of a slew of Super Bowl props.  Now he is no more.  Well, the King is not exactly going down without a fight. Read More

South Africa Lightens Up More On Internet Gambling; 888.com Eyes 30 Percent Growth This Year

....The Parliament in South Africa has “parked” the National Gambling Amendment Bill to thrash out the question of advertising for online gambling.

This comes after the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) amended the Bill to include an outright prohibition on the advertising of online gambling.

The Bill, as introduced into Parliament last year, would have amended the National Gambling Act of 2004 to regulate “interactive” gambling, defined as betting over the Internet or mobile phones.

Gambling is big business in SA, with gross gambling revenue (GGR) approaching R14 billion – about half of the country's defence budget. The National Gambling Board defines GGR as turnover less winnings paid to players.

Current legislation bans all forms of organised gambling unless licensed.   Read More Here

.....Online gaming firm 888 is optimistic of 30 percent revenue growth this year, helped by a better-than-expected start from its new sports betting and bingo sites.

"Current run rate indicates 20 percent (overall revenue growth), and we are bullish on pushing this. Do I think 30 percent is too much? No, I don't think 30 is too much," Chief Executive Gigi Levy told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Levy added that the firm's new bingo and sports betting Web sites were seeing strong growth.

"Bingo is doing dramatically above anything we expected. The run rate is currently where we expected to get to by the end of the year, it's that good."

"Sports was only launched a few weeks ago, and already last week we had hundreds of new sign-ups every day."
Online poker and casino firms have been gradually rebuilding their businesses after the U.S. closed off the world's biggest market in 2006 with a ban on gambling-related banking transactions.

.....Bookies remourse in England....You never see a poor bookie, or so the saying goes.

And while that may still be true, they certainly took a battering at the weekend.

First came Comply or Die's victory in the Grand National which prompted a mammoth payout: jockey Timmy Murphy's winning ride on the David Pipe-trained gelding at Aintree is estimated to have cost the bookmakers £40m.

Then two sporting results rather closer to home compounded the misery for one particular high street bookie.

A Norwich City win and an Ipswich Town loss under any circumstances would usually be enough to make any Canaries fan smile, but dozens of punters had even more cause than usual to celebrate on Saturday.

They took advantage of a special double at odds of 107/1 offered by Ladbrokes on Norwich beating Burnley 2-0, and Ipswich Town losing at Colchester United by the same scoreline.

At those odds, a wager of £1 would pay out £108, while a £5 flutter would return an impressive £540.  Read More Here

April 7, 2008

Murray Sabrin Republican Front Runner for US Senate and He's Against Online Gambling Prohibition

For all the talk that is out there about ridding the US of Republican power, the online gambling industry needs to be aware that some of the most outspoken politicians against prohibition of Internet poker are in fact republicans.  Individuals the likes of long time Congressman and Presidential candidate Ron Paul, Representative Jim Kasper out of North Dakota, PPA Chairman and Former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato, and now the frontrunner for Senator out of New Jersey, Murray Sabrin. 

Sabrin is seeking the seat currently held by Democrat Frank Lautenberg. 

Sabrin was born in Bad Wörishofen, Germany on December 21, 1946. Sabrin's parents were among the only in his family tree to survive the Holocaust. Sabrin arrived in America with his older brother and parents in August 1949 and became a United States citizen in 1959. He lives with his wife of 39 years, Florence, in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Sabrin is executive director of the Center for Business and Public Policy at Ramapo Collegeand the author of Tax Free 2000: The Rebirth of American Liberty.

Sabrin was the 1997 Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey, and the first third party candidate to receive matching funds and participate in three official debates.   Sabrin left the Libertarian party, and is a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for the United States Senate representing New Jersey.  Promoting limited government and nonintervention, he has received endorsements from the Republican Liberty Caucus  and U.S. Presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Ron Paul will be speaking at an event for Mr. Sabrin on April 28.

State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, R-Morris and Andrew Unanue, a former chief operating officer for Goya Foods Inc. have declared also declared their candidacies.

888 Rosy 2007: William Hill Makes Inroads Into Spain: Rousso Drops Out

Online gambling company 888 Holdings is predicted to report profits of $45.3m to $47.4m for 2007.

....The joint venture between Codere and William Hill has obtained the first betting shop licence issued by the autonomous government of Madrid, with Ladbrokes and Cirsa expected to be granted the second within days. According to Ladbrokes/Cirsa’s CEO, the success of Madrid’s emerging sports betting regime is likely to determine how many other regions in Spain legislate for the activity.

....Lee Rousso, the Washington State attorney who is currently battling the state’s harsh online gambling law through the courts, is no longer running for Governor there, CardPlayer.com reported last week.

Rousso dropped out after a United States Supreme Court ruling forced changes to Washington State’s election law. When Rousso filed, the election rules sent one person from each party’s primary to the main election. Rousso was counting on attracting “crossover” voters from the Republican party who were angry with Christine Gregoire’s policies related to online poker, making the activity and all online gambling activity a Class C felony for Washington citizens. But since the March ruling, election rules changed the primary to a “top-two” format, meaning the top-two vote getters, regardless of their party affiliations, now advance to the general election.

“It basically cut me off at the legs in terms of my campaign strategy,” Rousso said. “I will concede I was a bit of a long shot to begin with, but there’s difference between being a 100-to-one shot and being a 1 million-to-one shot, and I did not mind being a 100-to-one shot. If I was a 1 million-to-one shot, it would look like I was just a protest candidate or a gadfly, and I wanted to run as a serious candidate, so, if things fell in to place, I would have a chance of winning.”
 

Bodog Life Valued at $3 Mil

It's been nearly a year since the Bodog Group lost its coveted domain name Bodog.com.  For months following a patent infringement ruling against the company, Bodog lost precious search positions and untold number of customers who probably just assumed Bodog had gone kaput. 

Bodog Founder Calvine Ayre was quick to get a new domain name in its place.  After initially going with NewBodog.com (which is still accessible), Ayre finally settled on Bodog Life, which looks to capitalize on the concept of "life style".

Apparently it is working, even without a whole lot of branding on the part of Ayre and his group.  Gambling911.com can reveal that the domin name BodogLife.com is now worth an estimated $3.05 million and climbing.  Bodog.com, which remains dormant, is worth an estimated $134,o00.  Not too shabby for a domain name that has only been around for 7 months and three days.

Last year, 1st Technology sued Bodog Entertainment Group SA before Judge Roger L. Hunt in a federal court in Nevada USA, alleging the online gaming company was illegally using a "method and system for interactively transmitting multimedia information over a network which requires a reduced bandwidth," according to court documents.

1st Technology LLC is described as "a leading technology licensing company with a patent portfolio of advanced Internet and multimedia innovations, including patents to deliver high quality multimedia for online gaming products". The company is headed by Dr. Scott Lewis, and includes licensees Paradise Poker, Chartwell Technology, Playtech Ltd., Sportingbet, and Excapsa Software.

Ayre has refused to pay Lewis a dime, claiming he is nothing more than a "patent troll".  Lewis claims otherwise.

April 4 thru 6, 2008 (Weekend News)

Online Poker Industry Fearful of Proposed 60 Minutes Expose

Posted April 4 2008 12:12 am by Christopher Costigan
Filed under: Gambling News  Poker News

An anticipated piece slated to air on CBS' 60 Minutes regarding the online poker industry and a notorious "insider poker cheat" has much of the sector wondering what type of damage may occur as a result.  Previous reports airing on 60 Minutes related to the industry have been fair for the most part though not entirely flattering.  One investigation demonstrated "how easy it was for a minor to access an online casino with his or her parents credit card" even though the industry overall has addressed the issue of underage gambling quite well.  It took a fourth attempt by the minor used to finally access an online casino that has not always proven among the most responsible - Golden Palace.  They were later indicted we might add.

According to the Nat Arem Blog, 60 Minutes, in conjunction with a reporter from the Washington Post, contacted Arem regarding a story about the Absolute Poker scandal from last fall.  Here is a quick recap of what transpired with this controversy:

In September 2007, Absolute Poker began defending itself following accusations made by members of several Internet forums that the online poker room has a "superuser" account which allows one player to read the hole cards of another during a game. By October, widespread Internet allegations of cheating led to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission opening an investigation.  Kahnawake is the licensing arm of Absolute Poker and many other online gambling establishments, including Bodog Life.

Although allegations had been made about several accounts, one of the most remarkable pieces of evidence was a complete history of a tournament in which a player called "POTRIPPER" played. This history was far more complete than normal, and included all hidden hole cards for all players. It was sent out, perhaps by accident, when a player complained about suspicious play.

Absolute Poker and Kahnawake would later confirm the "internal breach". 

Read More Here
 

Posted April 4 2008 12:12 am by Christopher Costigan
Filed under: Gambling News  Poker News

Before she was famous, George Clooney's now famous (or perhaps infamous) girlfriend, Sarah Larson, partied with the best of them and partied with the worst of them.

Gambling911.com has obtained exclusive photos of Ms. Larson partying with none other than alleged "poker scammer" Alan John Grimard, who is now widely rumored to be the focus of an upcoming 60 Minutes investigative report into the online poker industry.   Larson would regularly travel around the globe with Grimard, including a trip to Amsterdam where she participated in the 2005 Casino Affiliate Convention.

Can you hear me now?  Sarah connects with the Verizon guy?

Sarah Larson has been the subject of tabloid fodder all week with the premier of George's Leathernecks film.

Whether Grimard can top her remains to be seen.

That's not really John McCain and that's not really Barack Obama...but center stage
(with his arms crossed) really is Alan Grimard along with the busty Sarah Larson
(far left and far away from Grimard).  We figured there was a nice patriotic theme
going here. 

"FARC You!" Say Costa Rican Bookies

Posted April 3 2008 10:26 am by Christopher Costigan
Filed under: Gambling News 

Last month Gambling911.com reported on how Costa Rica could find itself the center of an all out Latin American war, fueled by Iran.

Since that time, news of possible F.A.R.C. insurgencies in the Costa Rican government has been traveling all over that quaint bookie haven.

F.A.R.C. is the acronym for Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, the largest, oldest best equipped terrorist organization in the world, according to the U.S. Department of State.

News reports began surfacing that F.A.R.C. may have had some influence over Costa Rican politicians.

Oscar Arias, the Costa Rican president has released a statement saying that he has had contact from the Columbian Government that details that there isn’t any Costa Rica politician linked with FARC, after to the recent raids of the Columbian rebel group. 

Read More

Archived Gambling News Here