Business & Financial
William Hill Promises Its Affiliates United Branch Staff Six Months Notice of Termination
The United Kingdom’s largest online bookmaker, William Hill, has promised its Tel Aviv-based online affiliate staff, Affiliates United (AffUtd), one month's extra pay and six months notice in the event their jobs are set to be terminated.
WSOPE Main Event 2011 Final Table: Lock Poker Pro Chris Moorman Makes the Cut
Lock Poker pros Chris Moorman made the WSOPE Main Event 2011 final table as did online poker phenom Patrik Antonius.
“We are all rooting for Chris,” Lock Poker CEO Jennifer Larson told Gambling911.com late Wednesday.
His appearance among the top 9 finalists is certainly great exposure for one of the fastest growing online poker rooms. Another Lock pro, Michael Drummond, also enjoyed a strong finish at number 16.
William Hill Share Price in Tizzy Following Tel Aviv Uprising
William Hill’s share price was -4.1p at 224.7p Wednesday as executives from the company tried desperately to quash an uprising in its Tel Aviv Internet support centre.
The company issued a statement on Tuesday that several higher-ups at that office would receive disciplinary action for suggesting to employees they were either being relocated to the company’s Gibraltar office or that their jobs might ultimately be disposed of altogether. More than 200 of the Tel Aviv employees abandoned their jobs as a result of this news.
William Hill Takes Action Against Tel Aviv Execs
England’s biggest bookmaker says it is taking actions against executives in charge of its Tel Aviv online gambling support center for wrongly telling employees they were being relocated to Gibraltar.
Headlines were made this week when more than 200 employees walked out after reports surfaced that the Tel Aviv office would be shut down. William Hill dispatched a team of senior executives to help quell concerns.
PartyPoker Working Hard to Enter US Market: Redlines PokerStars, Full Tilt
Forbes.com reported on Tuesday afternoon how PartyPoker co-chief Jim Ryan has been meeting with investors in the US to highlight how his company will benefit from the latest exits of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker from American soil.
His chart, according to Forbes, listed Stars and Tilt with red lines drawn through their names.
Mass William Hill Walkout Could Have Effect on Internet Business
The resignation of Eyal Sanoff, the chief marketing officer, from William Hill has prompted a mass walkout of over 200 staff members from the company’s Tel Aviv online support centre, the Sun reports. That office handles nearly all of William Hill’s Internet marketing.
The Israeli-based staff is worried over rumors that Hill’s CEO Ralph Topping is preparing to dump them and move all operations back to the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.
BetOnSports Founder Gary Kaplan Out of Prison
The founder of BetOnSports.com, Gary Kaplan, has completed his prison sentence in connection with running what was considered the biggest North American facing sports betting business of its kind during its heyday. Numerous sources have confirmed to Gambling911.com that Kaplan is out of jail, whereabouts unknown.
BetOnSports and nearly a dozen of its executives were indicted in July of 2006 just prior to the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in October of that same year. Charges included racketeering, money laundering and mail fraud.
Lock Poker’s Jennifer Larson: “A Life Changing Event for Lock Pros”
Online Sports Betting Way Up at Legends, BetOnline.com: Volume Way Down
Free Online Poker Las Vegas Casino South Point Joins the G911 Family
Gambling911.com is thrilled to announce that South Point Poker, the first online poker website run by a Las Vegas casino operator, has joined our family of fine partners.
Sportingbet Has Sold Its Turkish Business to GVC Sports
Following news this week that takeover talks involving Ladbrokes had fallen through, Sportingbet has sold its Turkish sports betting business to GVC Sports for €142.5m. Gambling restrictions in that nation forced the sale.
Andy McIver, Sportingbet’s chief executive, offered the following statement:
“Given our other big markets, Spain and Greece, have recently regulated their gambling markets, Turkey was the one which stood out [and] that has often been cited as an overhang on our equity,” he said. “So it was a question of when, not if.”
Verisign Wants Power to Seize Domains: ACLU Says “Not So Fast”
In the wake of a number of Internet gambling websites and music downloading website having their domains seized, Verisign has signaled they would like to pursue the policy even further.
Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations
Zynga Distances Itself From Facebook
The popular free online poker and gaming site Zynga has announced it is diversifying its business beyond Facebook with a focus on its own Web platform.
The move makes sense. Facebook currently takes a 30 percent cut of Zynga’s business.
Zynga chief executive Mark Pincus said of the company’s new direct-to-consumer strategy, called Zynga Direct, that it will allow “a direct relationship with consumers… where we can give you a whole sandbox and create socialness around the games.”
Four new games will debut as part of the new platform, including bingo.
Up, Up and Away: Merge, Lock Poker Begin Accepting New Customers Worldwide
Merge Poker to Begin Accepting New US Players Again Tonight?
PokerUpdate.com is reporting that the Merge Poker Network will once again start accepting new players from the US with the exception of certain states such as New York and Maryland as early as Midnight October 12.
The site claims to have sources close to the company who confirmed the time while noting that “some details are still unconfirmed”. Gambling911.com has not independently confirmed these details.
Everleaf Poker Peak Traffic Rises in October
With 126 online poker skins associated with the network, the most in online poker today, Everleaf should be among the top 10 networks in terms of overall traffic. It is not.
Everleaf just happens to be one of the only US-facing Internet poker rooms.
That said, PokerScout.com observed a fairly significant increase in peak traffic during the month of October compared to previous months.
Alderney Gambling Control Commission Talks Full Tilt Poker With J Todd (Video)
J. Todd of Perspectives Weekly was on hand at the Global Gaming Expo this past week where he managed to grab an interview with Andre Wilsenach, the CEO of Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). The AGCC last week revoked Full Tilt Poker’s license.
Ladbrokes Ends Acquisition Talks With Sportingbet
Ladbrokes and Sportingbet announced on Monday the two gambling firms have terminated merger talks as part of a mutual agreement.
A statement from Sportingbet on Monday said: “The boards of Sportingbet and Ladbrokes agreed to end discussions as the parties were unable to agree either a suitable structure or one that delivered sufficient value to shareholders in a meaningful time frame.”
Daniel Tzvetkoff to be Star Witness in Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars Trial
Australian entrepreneur Daniel Tzvetkoff will act as a star witness in the trial of 10 men charged in connection with the operation of three giants in the online poker sector – Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars and Absolute Poker.
MGM CEO: “Time has Come for Legalized Online Poker”
MGM CEO Jim Murren on Wednesday delivered the key note address at this year’s Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. As part of his address, Murren urged Congress to legalize Internet poker, predicting it would help, not hurt, the US economy.
“We feel the time for talking is over and that the time for action is right now,” Murren told attendees.
Full Tilt Poker Faces Another Law Suit
Yet another lawsuit has been filed against Full Tilt Poker, this one by Cardroom International.
A statement was issued by the company:
Revealed: Lock Poker Puts Its Pros Up In French Castle
Lock Poker pros from throughout Europe and North America had something to be excited about this week as they were treated to exclusive use of a centuries old French castle just outside of Lyon.
“There are going to be many more of these events upcoming,” Lock CEO Jennifer Larson told the nearly 50 guests in attendance. “We are all a family and you are all going to get a taste of the Lock treatment.”
The Gambling911.com crew was also invited to stay at the fabulous Chateau de Bagnols castle.
Michael Gaughan Online Poker Site Approved by Nevada Gaming Board
The highly anticipated debut of the South Point Hotel and Casino online poker site comes with the blessing of the Nevada Gaming Board.
SouthPointPoker.com, a website developed by our good friends at Level Media, entered the play-for-fun-while-we-wait-for-legislation-in-the-US market on Wednesday.
Michael Gaughan’s property in the first US-based casino operation to open an Internet poker room in the US.
Lock Poker Retreat Comes to a Close
The highly anticipated Lock Poker retreat has completed with everyone leaving Thursday morning. Gambling911.com will not discuss details of this incredible event until after everyone has departed.
Some of us at Gambling911.com closed the party Wednesday night with a little dancing but Wednesday was a fun-filled day, which began with a hot air balloon flight followed by a horse and carriage excursion followed by a wine tasting at two different vineyards (7 taste tests) then an amazing dinner and dancing. We were all up by 6:30 am and most of us went to bed by 3 am.
G911 Exclusive: A Sneak Peak at the South Point Casino New Online Poker Room
The very first Las Vegas casino to launch its own online poker room is South Point Casino and that takes place later on Thursday (October 5, 2011). However, Gambling911.com has been provided with an exclusive look at the new site here.
Level Media was the agency selected by South Point to build the new online poker room. It is now live.
South Point Poker will offer a play-for-free registration online poker platform in anticipation of legalization within the USA.
Lock Poker is Full of Hot Air….Literally!
Today, Gambling911.com and the Lock Poker pros woke up at the crack of dawn. Well actually it wasn’t quite dawn and many of us had not yet fallen asleep.
Tuesday evening’s sunset hot air balloon flights were postponed until the early AM on Wednesday due to high winds in the region. So basically, the late Tuesday night dinner, drinking and poker-for-fun event ran right into the hot air balloon flights. Hence, there were a few drunkards taking flight in the early AM hours.
