Gold Mega Jackpot Now At $1.88 Million!
18th May 2009 -- http://www.partycasino.com is the world’s largest online casino and it has just got even bigger with 13 new games added! The headline act of the release is Sinatra, a musical slot tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes.
With rights acquired from Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE), a joint venture of the Sinatra Estate and Warner Music Group, the Sinatra Slot was developed in-house and is a five-reel, 20 line slot game with a Sinatra Big Band feature. Play through the three ages of Frank in Hollywood, Las Vegas and New York, collecting and writing big band tunes on the way. The game features an accumulating bonus trigger; collect a Treble Clef for each reel to build up a Sinatra track at the top of the screen. Complete the track to see Frank sing a classic track and then get a chance to write your own number in the Big Band Bonus feature. The minimum bet is $0.01 and maximum is $1,000.
A PartyCasino.com spokesman said: “Sinatra is top of the bill of our latest release and we encourage players to embrace the musical interactivity of this great new game. We’re also delighted to add 12 new others including the classic Dolphin Reef, the Fantastic Four and Hulk themed games.”
As well as the swinging slot Sinatra, PartyCasino.com has further increased its portfolio. Cryptologic licensed The Fantastic Four and The Hulk: Ultimate Revenge has joined the platform. This release also includes the launch of a new progressive jackpot suite, the Marvel Jackpot, consisting of three tiers. This jackpot can be won by players of the Marvel Slot games and sits alongside our existing Gold and Ca$hFla$h Jackpots. NextGen have supplied City of Gold, Cherry Blossoms, Dr Love, California Gold, Coral Cash, Beat the Bank, Dolphin Reef, 20,000 Leagues, Birds of Paradise and Speed Demon.
The Gold Mega Jackpot at http://www.partycasino.com has passed its record level and is still growing and waiting to be hit! To break the record, the Gold Mega Jackpot had to surpass the staggering $1,571,974 paid out to one player on the 8th October 2006. It currently stands at just over $1,888,000! Gold Mega Jackpot games on PartyCasino.com include The Godfather, Super Star, Super Joker, Super Fortune Wheel, Super Mystic and Mega Fortune Wheel. PartyCasino.com offers over 60 games and pays out over $10 million EVERY DAY to players and continues to expand rapidly. Highlights include film themed slots such as Mission:Impossible, The Terminator, Top Gun, Saturday Night Fever, Gone with the Wind and Rambo.
PartyGaming Plc is the world’s leading listed online gaming company. Founded in 1997, the Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 share index and the FTSE4Good Index Series, which measures the performance of companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. PartyGaming’s shares are listed on The London Stock Exchange under the ticker: PRTY. PartyGaming’s principal brands are: PartyPoker.com, PartyCasino.com, EmpirePoker.com, PartyBingo.com, PartyGammon.com, PartyBets.com, PartyMarkets.com and Gamebookers.com.
PartyGaming is regulated and licensed by the Government of Gibraltar and is certified by GamCare as a responsible gaming operator. For more information, please visit http://www.partygaming.com
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Monday, May 18, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Virgin Casino Promotions
The Virgin brand is one of the most famous in the world and is present in several different markets including, travel, telecoms and TV. They have recently entered the gaming market and now operate poker, bingo and casino games online.
Virgin Casino has quickly become one of the UK's leading online casino sites and is currently holding some excellent promotions and special offers. Here's a look at some of the best deal taking place at the site:
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Win tickets for the Royal Ascot - Wager £500 on your three favourite games to gain entry to the draw for this excellent prize! The tickets include a 4 course dinner and the full VIP treatment!
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Virgin Casino has quickly become one of the UK's leading online casino sites and is currently holding some excellent promotions and special offers. Here's a look at some of the best deal taking place at the site:
100% Welcome Bonus - You can't beat a cash match on first deposits, so make sure you don't miss out on this excellent deal!
Win tickets for the Royal Ascot - Wager £500 on your three favourite games to gain entry to the draw for this excellent prize! The tickets include a 4 course dinner and the full VIP treatment!
Monday Mania - Simply deposit £10 any time on a May Monday, and you will receive a free £10! Simply log in, go to my account, register a bonus, enter the code 'mania' and click the register button! Then deposit £10 and you will get your free tenner!
Terrific Tuesdays - Earn back 20% of your losses every week with this excellent deal. Follow the same instructions as above but enter the bonus code 'terrific'.
Subscribe to the Virgin Casino newsletter to gain entry to the weekend whopper promo's which are simply unmissable!
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Battle Brewing Over Dutch Treatment Of Betfair, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 15th May 2009
The continuing battle over the online gaming and poker world isn’t limited to the United States alone. While at the same time being progressive in the regulation and taxation of the industry is accepted by some countries in Europe, other nations still are attempting to prohibit their citizens from participating in online poker and casino games. A recent article in the London Telegraph highlights this issue once again.
In a story from the Telegraph from earlier this week, Charlie McCreevy – the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, which has vehemently monitored the online gaming industry across European borders – has threatened the Netherlands government for their tactics regarding the online gaming company Betfair. McCreevy believes that the Dutch nation is unfairly preventing Betfair from accepting action from the country for what he calls “protectionist” reasons. He has threatened to take his legal action all the way to the European Court of Justice, which is the judicial arm of the European Union.
The Telegraph article quotes Commissioner McCreevy as stating, “We believe the Dutch are in direct contravention of the rules of the internal markets and will be investigating the matter. The state has adopted a very protectionist approach to all forms of gambling.”
Betfair has been taking their own approach to affecting the laws of the Dutch government. Last week, the company filed a lawsuit against the Dutch Ministry of Justice that accused the Netherlands of blocking Betfair action in a “desperate move” to protect the position of De Lotto, the state gaming monopoly. Betfair claims it is allowed to accept bets from citizens of the Netherlands because it is a licensed operator in Europe and because Dutch residents are allowed to bet online with the governmentally operated lottery.
The Dutch, on the other hand, have claimed that it is illegal for the country’s banks to accept such betting action because Dutch laws do not allow for the licensing or operation of Internet gambling companies.
Commissioner McCreevy has been one of the people at the forefront of pushing for cohesive Internet gaming rights across the European continent. In the Telegraph article, he is quoted as saying, “We announced last year that at least ten of our member states were in contravention of internal market rules on gambling. While many members have engaged, the Dutch has completely failed to. There has been no progress at all.”
A look back at the tumultuous nature of online gaming and poker reveals that there is a tremendous uphill battle at stake for the online gaming and poker industry throughout the world. Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank is attempting to push legislation through the halls of Congress that would introduce regulation and taxation into the American landscape and halt the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006. Europe, however, is still wrestling with the issue.
While regulation has been accepted in some countries such as England, other countries have attempted to nationalize the operations for the benefit of their own countries and prevent the freedom of trade in online gaming. Nations such as France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Spain have been the major players in this nationalization effort, but some of those countries have changed their minds in the face of potential penalties or restrictions by the European Union through the Treaty of Commerce that all member nations have signed. In March, however, the EU admitted that they were unable to come to a comprehensive agreement regarding the streamlining of access to internet gaming across the continent. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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In a story from the Telegraph from earlier this week, Charlie McCreevy – the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, which has vehemently monitored the online gaming industry across European borders – has threatened the Netherlands government for their tactics regarding the online gaming company Betfair. McCreevy believes that the Dutch nation is unfairly preventing Betfair from accepting action from the country for what he calls “protectionist” reasons. He has threatened to take his legal action all the way to the European Court of Justice, which is the judicial arm of the European Union.
The Telegraph article quotes Commissioner McCreevy as stating, “We believe the Dutch are in direct contravention of the rules of the internal markets and will be investigating the matter. The state has adopted a very protectionist approach to all forms of gambling.”
Betfair has been taking their own approach to affecting the laws of the Dutch government. Last week, the company filed a lawsuit against the Dutch Ministry of Justice that accused the Netherlands of blocking Betfair action in a “desperate move” to protect the position of De Lotto, the state gaming monopoly. Betfair claims it is allowed to accept bets from citizens of the Netherlands because it is a licensed operator in Europe and because Dutch residents are allowed to bet online with the governmentally operated lottery.
The Dutch, on the other hand, have claimed that it is illegal for the country’s banks to accept such betting action because Dutch laws do not allow for the licensing or operation of Internet gambling companies.
Commissioner McCreevy has been one of the people at the forefront of pushing for cohesive Internet gaming rights across the European continent. In the Telegraph article, he is quoted as saying, “We announced last year that at least ten of our member states were in contravention of internal market rules on gambling. While many members have engaged, the Dutch has completely failed to. There has been no progress at all.”
A look back at the tumultuous nature of online gaming and poker reveals that there is a tremendous uphill battle at stake for the online gaming and poker industry throughout the world. Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank is attempting to push legislation through the halls of Congress that would introduce regulation and taxation into the American landscape and halt the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006. Europe, however, is still wrestling with the issue.
While regulation has been accepted in some countries such as England, other countries have attempted to nationalize the operations for the benefit of their own countries and prevent the freedom of trade in online gaming. Nations such as France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Spain have been the major players in this nationalization effort, but some of those countries have changed their minds in the face of potential penalties or restrictions by the European Union through the Treaty of Commerce that all member nations have signed. In March, however, the EU admitted that they were unable to come to a comprehensive agreement regarding the streamlining of access to internet gaming across the continent. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
Classic Slots Online - Most Popular Classic Slot Games
The Classic Slots Online, Casino News Media and Media Man Australia team have compiled data from years of experience and involvement in news media, publicity, internet and igaming fields and have found that the following are believed to be the most popular online slots released by Virgin Games:
Cleopatra
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Cluedo
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Virgin's Branson Supports The Prince Of Wales 'Frog' Campaign - Virgin Poker
Today (11th May 2009) Richard Branson pledged his support for the Prince of Wales “Frog” Campaign. Richard stated “As you all know, for many years I have been concerned with climate change and its impact. The plight of the world’s rainforests is a massive influence on this and perhaps the single most important factor in protecting our environment – that is why I have served on the steering group for this project.
“I will use my speeches and contacts to reinforce his message. The Prince is looking for public support across the globe by seeking millions of sign ups for his web based petition.”
Simon Burridge CEO of Virgin Games (poker, casino and bingo games) commented “This is another great initiative by Richard and The Prince of Wales. They are setting the standard when it comes to campaigning on climate change. Virgin Games is thrilled to be a part of helping bring awareness of the devastation that it’s having to rainforests all over the world.”
To find out more and get involved with the The Princes Rainforest Project please go to www.rainforestsos.org and pledge your support to saving the worlds rainforests.
About Virgin Games Virgin Games, a subsidiary of Virgin.com Ltd, launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises three distinct entertainment offerings, giving consumers the chance to play their favourite online games the Virgin way:
Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, provides a taste of Vegas online, with classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as popular feature slots like Elvis, Cleopatra and Vegas, Baby!
Virgin Poker, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros – as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry. The successful Virgin Poker Festivals, which take place in casinos around the UK throughout the year, now allow gamers to experience the fun of Virgin Poker offline too.
Virgin Bingo offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as regular promotions and an unrivalled loyalty scheme.
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“I will use my speeches and contacts to reinforce his message. The Prince is looking for public support across the globe by seeking millions of sign ups for his web based petition.”
Simon Burridge CEO of Virgin Games (poker, casino and bingo games) commented “This is another great initiative by Richard and The Prince of Wales. They are setting the standard when it comes to campaigning on climate change. Virgin Games is thrilled to be a part of helping bring awareness of the devastation that it’s having to rainforests all over the world.”
To find out more and get involved with the The Princes Rainforest Project please go to www.rainforestsos.org and pledge your support to saving the worlds rainforests.
About Virgin Games Virgin Games, a subsidiary of Virgin.com Ltd, launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises three distinct entertainment offerings, giving consumers the chance to play their favourite online games the Virgin way:
Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, provides a taste of Vegas online, with classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as popular feature slots like Elvis, Cleopatra and Vegas, Baby!
Virgin Poker, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros – as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry. The successful Virgin Poker Festivals, which take place in casinos around the UK throughout the year, now allow gamers to experience the fun of Virgin Poker offline too.
Virgin Bingo offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as regular promotions and an unrivalled loyalty scheme.
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Monday, May 11, 2009
Betfair goes to court over Dutch bank ban - 11th May 2009
One of Britain's biggest betting companies is taking the Dutch Government to court over its attempt to block Dutch banks from processing the payment of bets made over the internet.
Betfair, the betting exchange operator, which has been seeking a Dutch licence since 2004, described actions by the Ministry of Justice as "a desperate move" to protect the position of De Lotto, the Dutch state monopoly.
The ministry recently wrote to domestic banks claiming that, because Dutch laws did not allow for the licensing of internet gambling companies, it was "inappropriate for banks to provide facilities to the providers of illegal games of chance".
It urged the directors of the banks to terminate all relationships with internet gambling operators "within a reasonable timeframe".
Betfair maintains that it is entitled to accept bets from The Netherlands because Dutch residents are allowed to bet online with De Lotto and because it is a licensed operator in the EU, with licences in Britain and Malta.
Betfair managing director Mark Davies said the ministry's actions "fly in the face of the EU principles of open and fair competition", serving to protect De Lotto and keeping prices high.
The lawsuit by Betfair, which has also made a formal complaint to the European Commission, is the latest salvo in a battle over internet gambling in the EU. Ladbrokes has challenged several governments, including that of the Netherlands, and the EC itself has issued proceedings against the Dutch Government.
Betfair said the timing of the letters to the Dutch banks was "questionable" given that the European Court of Justice, to which cases involving Betfair and Ladbrokes had been referred, had yet to rule on the compatibility of the Dutch Betting & Gaming Act with EU law.
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Betfair, the betting exchange operator, which has been seeking a Dutch licence since 2004, described actions by the Ministry of Justice as "a desperate move" to protect the position of De Lotto, the Dutch state monopoly.
The ministry recently wrote to domestic banks claiming that, because Dutch laws did not allow for the licensing of internet gambling companies, it was "inappropriate for banks to provide facilities to the providers of illegal games of chance".
It urged the directors of the banks to terminate all relationships with internet gambling operators "within a reasonable timeframe".
Betfair maintains that it is entitled to accept bets from The Netherlands because Dutch residents are allowed to bet online with De Lotto and because it is a licensed operator in the EU, with licences in Britain and Malta.
Betfair managing director Mark Davies said the ministry's actions "fly in the face of the EU principles of open and fair competition", serving to protect De Lotto and keeping prices high.
The lawsuit by Betfair, which has also made a formal complaint to the European Commission, is the latest salvo in a battle over internet gambling in the EU. Ladbrokes has challenged several governments, including that of the Netherlands, and the EC itself has issued proceedings against the Dutch Government.
Betfair said the timing of the letters to the Dutch banks was "questionable" given that the European Court of Justice, to which cases involving Betfair and Ladbrokes had been referred, had yet to rule on the compatibility of the Dutch Betting & Gaming Act with EU law.
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Friday, May 08, 2009
European Union to Probe Dutch Online Gambling Ban - Gambling911 - 8th May 2009
The Netherlands has been fertile ground for hosting a series of affiliate conferences geared towards the online gambling community. But the Dutch Government over the past year has begun cracking down on the activity itself, taking a stance similar to that of the United States. Known for its tolerance of prostitution and pot, Holland wants to protect its own state run casino - the Holland Casino.
The European Union, expressing discord with America for its stance on Internet gambling, is beginning to realize they must first harness their own. Holland is a member of the European Union.
The EU has initiated an investigation into Dutch efforts to stop banks processing payments for online betting services, the Telegraaf reported on Friday.
'The European Commissioner has asked the appropriate services to start an investigation into the banking blockade,' a spokesman for commissioner Charlie McCreevy told the Telegraaf. 'As far as we are aware, the Netherlands is the only country in Europe to do such a thing.'
Holland's justice ministry ordered banks to stop accepting transactions for Internet gambling services or face potential legal action.
A survey in January said the Dutch are spending €450m a year on illegal internet gambling.
Yesterday, British online betting group Betfair said it was taking legal action. (Credit: Gambling911)
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The European Union, expressing discord with America for its stance on Internet gambling, is beginning to realize they must first harness their own. Holland is a member of the European Union.
The EU has initiated an investigation into Dutch efforts to stop banks processing payments for online betting services, the Telegraaf reported on Friday.
'The European Commissioner has asked the appropriate services to start an investigation into the banking blockade,' a spokesman for commissioner Charlie McCreevy told the Telegraaf. 'As far as we are aware, the Netherlands is the only country in Europe to do such a thing.'
Holland's justice ministry ordered banks to stop accepting transactions for Internet gambling services or face potential legal action.
A survey in January said the Dutch are spending €450m a year on illegal internet gambling.
Yesterday, British online betting group Betfair said it was taking legal action. (Credit: Gambling911)
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Thursday, May 07, 2009
Party Poker Releases Dates for Sports Stars Challenge IV, by Brett Collson - Poker News Daily - 7th May 2009
Party Poker has released the dates for its PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge IV, one of the most popular televised poker tournaments in Europe. The event will run from May 29-June 1 and will feature some of the world’s biggest sports stars, both past and present, taking their seats at the table in hopes of becoming a poker champion.
The Sports Stars Challenge IV will include some of the world’s best in motorsports, golf, boxing, rugby and darts. There will also be an online qualifier added to the field for the first time ever. The number of heats will increase from six to seven, with the winner of each of the seven heats advancing to the final table to battle it out until one of them walks away with the title. The overall winner receives £20,000 with second getting £10,000 and third receiving £5,000.
The motorsport table will feature Italian F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, while the golf heat will include both 2008 European Ryder Cup team member Graeme McDowell and Jean Van Der Velde. European football’s list of legends includes former Holland captain Frank De Boer, French World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf, Germany’s European Championship winner Thomas Helmer, Romania’s Florin Radiciou and Denmark and Liverpool legend Jan Molby.
Germany’s former unbeaten World Champion Sven Ottke will headline the boxing heat. He will be joined by Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth heavyweight and Prizefighter champion Martin Rogan and Poland’s female boxing champ Agnieska Rylik. The rugby heat will feature union’s former France and Wasps captain Raphael Ibanez and Australian league star Brad Drew, while the darts heat will pit legend Phil Taylor against Russia’s ladies champ Anastasia Dobromyslova.
PartyPoker.com players also had the chance to win a seat through a freeroll in the sports heat of their choice. The sports are European football (two heats), rugby (union and league combined), motorsport, boxing, darts and golf. Two online qualifiers will join each heat.
“We offered freerolls to win a seat in the event on the site”, a spokesperson for Party Poker said, “but the places were snapped up so quickly that we were loath to promote it too much to save the disappointment of players. This is a once in a lifetime experience for a select group to take to the felt with their sporting heroes. The overall lineup is the most diverse and international in the event’s history and more star participant names will be released in the near future.”
For the fourth consecutive year the event will be run by Matchroom Sport, a promotions company founded by English entrepreneur Barry Hearn. Matchroom Sport is typically involved in snooker and boxing events for the most part, but Hearn is thrilled to be involved in the Sports Stars challenge again.
“This is the poker event that the sporting world looks forward to and we have some great international names and great poker players competing for the trophy, big prize money and the ultimate bragging rights”, Hearn said. “We’re particularly excited to introduce the online element and the motorsport and golf heats this year.”
Past winners of Sports Stars Challenge are rugby union star Austin Healey, Irish snooker champion Ken Doherty, and television presenter Kara Scott, who won £20,000 last year after defeating Manchester United football legend Norman Whiteside heads-up. There is no presenter heat in the new format this year.
Coverage of the event will be aired in the UK later this year on Sky Sports and then distributed internationally. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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The Sports Stars Challenge IV will include some of the world’s best in motorsports, golf, boxing, rugby and darts. There will also be an online qualifier added to the field for the first time ever. The number of heats will increase from six to seven, with the winner of each of the seven heats advancing to the final table to battle it out until one of them walks away with the title. The overall winner receives £20,000 with second getting £10,000 and third receiving £5,000.
The motorsport table will feature Italian F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, while the golf heat will include both 2008 European Ryder Cup team member Graeme McDowell and Jean Van Der Velde. European football’s list of legends includes former Holland captain Frank De Boer, French World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf, Germany’s European Championship winner Thomas Helmer, Romania’s Florin Radiciou and Denmark and Liverpool legend Jan Molby.
Germany’s former unbeaten World Champion Sven Ottke will headline the boxing heat. He will be joined by Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth heavyweight and Prizefighter champion Martin Rogan and Poland’s female boxing champ Agnieska Rylik. The rugby heat will feature union’s former France and Wasps captain Raphael Ibanez and Australian league star Brad Drew, while the darts heat will pit legend Phil Taylor against Russia’s ladies champ Anastasia Dobromyslova.
PartyPoker.com players also had the chance to win a seat through a freeroll in the sports heat of their choice. The sports are European football (two heats), rugby (union and league combined), motorsport, boxing, darts and golf. Two online qualifiers will join each heat.
“We offered freerolls to win a seat in the event on the site”, a spokesperson for Party Poker said, “but the places were snapped up so quickly that we were loath to promote it too much to save the disappointment of players. This is a once in a lifetime experience for a select group to take to the felt with their sporting heroes. The overall lineup is the most diverse and international in the event’s history and more star participant names will be released in the near future.”
For the fourth consecutive year the event will be run by Matchroom Sport, a promotions company founded by English entrepreneur Barry Hearn. Matchroom Sport is typically involved in snooker and boxing events for the most part, but Hearn is thrilled to be involved in the Sports Stars challenge again.
“This is the poker event that the sporting world looks forward to and we have some great international names and great poker players competing for the trophy, big prize money and the ultimate bragging rights”, Hearn said. “We’re particularly excited to introduce the online element and the motorsport and golf heats this year.”
Past winners of Sports Stars Challenge are rugby union star Austin Healey, Irish snooker champion Ken Doherty, and television presenter Kara Scott, who won £20,000 last year after defeating Manchester United football legend Norman Whiteside heads-up. There is no presenter heat in the new format this year.
Coverage of the event will be aired in the UK later this year on Sky Sports and then distributed internationally. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Swiss To Offer Online Gambling Licenses - iGaming Business - 5th May 2009
In Switzerland, the Government has announced plans to liberalise its online gambling market by offering operators a limited number of licenses while keeping a ban on wagers placed through telephone and interactive television.
The proposals are the idea of the Justice Ministry in response to the increasing number of illegal online money games but any changes would be subject to the approval of the Swiss Parliament.
The plan would also tighten measures against other forms of illegal gambling, which could see the Swiss run afoul of the European Commission for seeming to give preferential treatment to locally licensed providers over those based in other Member States.
According to an article from news portal SwissInfo.ch, new forms of gambling in Switzerland could see the Government generate tax revenues of up to $22 million a year.
The Swiss decision comes hard on the heels of Denmark’s announcement last week that it would be presenting proposals that would, if passed, end the 60-year gaming monopoly of the State-owned Danske Spil organisation. (Credit: iGaming Business)
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The proposals are the idea of the Justice Ministry in response to the increasing number of illegal online money games but any changes would be subject to the approval of the Swiss Parliament.
The plan would also tighten measures against other forms of illegal gambling, which could see the Swiss run afoul of the European Commission for seeming to give preferential treatment to locally licensed providers over those based in other Member States.
According to an article from news portal SwissInfo.ch, new forms of gambling in Switzerland could see the Government generate tax revenues of up to $22 million a year.
The Swiss decision comes hard on the heels of Denmark’s announcement last week that it would be presenting proposals that would, if passed, end the 60-year gaming monopoly of the State-owned Danske Spil organisation. (Credit: iGaming Business)
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Online poker: Five card clicks, by Rob Sharp - The Independent - 6th May 2009
Virtual casinos bring the game right to your laptop. As The Independent launches its own poker league, Rob Sharp discovers why online gambling is becoming an even bigger deal
In a dusty room that has never seen the light of day, a concerned-looking man sits nervously behind a computer screen. He takes a moment to assess another man, who sits at a terminal nearby. They are locked into an anxious battle of wills. The first man looks his opponent slowly up and down, before quietly clicking on the computer mouse beside him.The two men are showcasing Virgin Poker, Virgin’s online poker gaming website, at Aspers, a casino in central Newcastle.
There are few things that would tempt out journalists on such a drab day in the North East, but online poker is big business. One million people gamble using the controversial card game in the UK each year, part of a global industry worth over £1bn. By logging on to virgingames.com or PokerStars.com competitors can emulate their poker-playing heroes from the comfort of their bedrooms. An increase in the tax on poker profits from 15 to 50 per cent, announced in last month’s Budget, will clip the wings of traditional poker operators. But many online poker companies, including Virgin Poker, are based offshore and are thus exempt.
While encouraging people to gamble responsibly, today The Independent, in a joint venture with Virgin Poker, launches its own poker league via independent.co.uk. “Nowadays there are over half a million regular online poker players logging on and playing,” says Joe Legge, poker product manager at Virgin Games. “For some, it’s their profession but for most it’s a form of entertainment that is mentally stimulating and doesn’t have to involve risking a lot of money. The Independent’s poker league is a great extension of our commitment to the social side of poker playing. ”Steph Boyd, from Darvel near Glasgow, known simply by the gaming moniker of “mole man”, is one of the people who relies on poker playing online for his entire income, not just for entertainment.
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In 2006, his first year of professional play, he claims to have made £1.5m. “It’s a great lifestyle, it’s a great job,” he says, sat at a traditional poker table close to the online gamers in Newcastle. “To be honest, there are not a lot of other jobs I could do. Before I turned professional I worked as a fitness instructor, but then I made a serious amount of money in a very short space of time.” Three years ago, he created a bank account and deposited into it £1,000 to fund his poker. Soon he was able to regularly withdraw a monthly salary of £200. Before long he gave up his job to turn to poker full-time. Needless to say, for every poker tale of rags to riches there is another ending in ruin.
Former mayor Jayne Yeomans was jailed last month for stealing almost £65,000 to fund her online poker addiction. In an effort to cover her tracks, the 49-year-old forged her husband’s signature and remortgaged their house to raise £25,000 to pay some of it back. Kara Scott, who hosts the television coverage online of the PokerStars European Poker tour, plays at least three hours of online poker a day. She thinks cases such as Yeomans’ are not representative and give a misleading impression of the world of online poker players. “I think there are people out there with really addictive personalities who get addicted to anything,” she says. “Some people are always going to take it too far.
Thankfully, there are organisations out there [such as GamCare.org.uk] you can get in touch with. And with most online poker sites you can select the option to deny yourself. You effectively tell the site about your problem and they will block you for six months or a year so that you can’t get back on.” As a condition of handing out poker licenses, the British government’s Gambling Commission insists poker companies encourage socially responsible gambling. Operators must verify people’s ages before allowing them to play (in the UK players must be 18 or over) and provide as much information about socially responsible gambling on their websites as possible.
Players are encouraged to contact a charity such as GamCare if they feel they have an unhealthy interest in online gambling (or are using it to escape from their problems, become restless when they are not playing, or continually try to stop but can’t). Virgin Games is licenced and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Channel Islands’ own regulatory body for poker. Boyd is confident that for him, gambling is only a positive thing, and that he has found a way of making his online habit work for him. “My priorities are my wife and three kids. I have luckily been able to buy a new house and that is a great thing to have at my stage in life. My online poker playing is a wee bit of fun.
So far, it has been very good to me. It just seems to be common sense for me to keep going. My wife went to university three years ago and hopes to start a new job in finance. All in all, she has been very supportive.” Playing at home also has advantages for Scott. “I can see how coming to somewhere like Newcastle to compete in a traditional poker tournament with lots of burly men might be intimidating to some women,” she says. “That fear is definitely circumnavigated by playing online. And you do get a few men who do some really inappropriate things. Yesterday there was a drunk man among the crowd of people asking for my autograph. He asked me to autograph his penis. I said no. What I should have said is, ‘Do you want me to initial it?’”
Poker people: Winners and losers
* Chris Moneymaker, an American accountant, won a seat at the 2003 World Series of Poker after playing a satellite tournament in the PokerStars online poker room. It cost him $39 to enter the first game; he ended up netting the $2.5m first prize at the global tournament. “It's a contentious issue whether poker is actually gambling,” he says.
* Zachary Gruneberg, a 19-year-old player from Pennsylvania, dropped out of university last month to pursue a career as a professional poker player. In January he won $250,000 at Australia’s 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championship. He’s too young to gamble legally in the US, so instead, he spends his time playing online. “There'd be days where I'd play 10-plus hours of poker online at school,” he says. “While you're playing, you can do so much other stuff. You can watch a TV show, talk to your friends, be on Facebook. It's all about multi-tasking.”
* Roy ‘the Boy’ Brindley, born in Dorking, Surrey, left a career training greyhounds to win £1m in online poker over an eight-year period. In his autobiography, ‘Life’s a Gamble’, he admits that gambling addiction has rendered him homeless at points in his life. Nevertheless: “To me, it’s massively satisfying. I was never good at sports and was 30 when I discovered a game that I could win at,” he says.
* Christopher Proudfoot, a finance controller, siphoned £1m of his employer’s money into his bank account between December 2004 and January 2008 to fund his habit. The 28-year-old fraudster, who now lives with his parents in Inverness, pleaded guilty in February to embezzling the cash. “The problem with some of these sites is when you win big they have their own way of getting it back,” he says. “When you’ve won a fair amount of money you can’t easily get it back. They don’t let you withdraw without letting everyone you are playing with no, so you carry on competing.” (Credit: The Independent)
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In a dusty room that has never seen the light of day, a concerned-looking man sits nervously behind a computer screen. He takes a moment to assess another man, who sits at a terminal nearby. They are locked into an anxious battle of wills. The first man looks his opponent slowly up and down, before quietly clicking on the computer mouse beside him.The two men are showcasing Virgin Poker, Virgin’s online poker gaming website, at Aspers, a casino in central Newcastle.
There are few things that would tempt out journalists on such a drab day in the North East, but online poker is big business. One million people gamble using the controversial card game in the UK each year, part of a global industry worth over £1bn. By logging on to virgingames.com or PokerStars.com competitors can emulate their poker-playing heroes from the comfort of their bedrooms. An increase in the tax on poker profits from 15 to 50 per cent, announced in last month’s Budget, will clip the wings of traditional poker operators. But many online poker companies, including Virgin Poker, are based offshore and are thus exempt.
While encouraging people to gamble responsibly, today The Independent, in a joint venture with Virgin Poker, launches its own poker league via independent.co.uk. “Nowadays there are over half a million regular online poker players logging on and playing,” says Joe Legge, poker product manager at Virgin Games. “For some, it’s their profession but for most it’s a form of entertainment that is mentally stimulating and doesn’t have to involve risking a lot of money. The Independent’s poker league is a great extension of our commitment to the social side of poker playing. ”Steph Boyd, from Darvel near Glasgow, known simply by the gaming moniker of “mole man”, is one of the people who relies on poker playing online for his entire income, not just for entertainment.
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In 2006, his first year of professional play, he claims to have made £1.5m. “It’s a great lifestyle, it’s a great job,” he says, sat at a traditional poker table close to the online gamers in Newcastle. “To be honest, there are not a lot of other jobs I could do. Before I turned professional I worked as a fitness instructor, but then I made a serious amount of money in a very short space of time.” Three years ago, he created a bank account and deposited into it £1,000 to fund his poker. Soon he was able to regularly withdraw a monthly salary of £200. Before long he gave up his job to turn to poker full-time. Needless to say, for every poker tale of rags to riches there is another ending in ruin.
Former mayor Jayne Yeomans was jailed last month for stealing almost £65,000 to fund her online poker addiction. In an effort to cover her tracks, the 49-year-old forged her husband’s signature and remortgaged their house to raise £25,000 to pay some of it back. Kara Scott, who hosts the television coverage online of the PokerStars European Poker tour, plays at least three hours of online poker a day. She thinks cases such as Yeomans’ are not representative and give a misleading impression of the world of online poker players. “I think there are people out there with really addictive personalities who get addicted to anything,” she says. “Some people are always going to take it too far.
Thankfully, there are organisations out there [such as GamCare.org.uk] you can get in touch with. And with most online poker sites you can select the option to deny yourself. You effectively tell the site about your problem and they will block you for six months or a year so that you can’t get back on.” As a condition of handing out poker licenses, the British government’s Gambling Commission insists poker companies encourage socially responsible gambling. Operators must verify people’s ages before allowing them to play (in the UK players must be 18 or over) and provide as much information about socially responsible gambling on their websites as possible.
Players are encouraged to contact a charity such as GamCare if they feel they have an unhealthy interest in online gambling (or are using it to escape from their problems, become restless when they are not playing, or continually try to stop but can’t). Virgin Games is licenced and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Channel Islands’ own regulatory body for poker. Boyd is confident that for him, gambling is only a positive thing, and that he has found a way of making his online habit work for him. “My priorities are my wife and three kids. I have luckily been able to buy a new house and that is a great thing to have at my stage in life. My online poker playing is a wee bit of fun.
So far, it has been very good to me. It just seems to be common sense for me to keep going. My wife went to university three years ago and hopes to start a new job in finance. All in all, she has been very supportive.” Playing at home also has advantages for Scott. “I can see how coming to somewhere like Newcastle to compete in a traditional poker tournament with lots of burly men might be intimidating to some women,” she says. “That fear is definitely circumnavigated by playing online. And you do get a few men who do some really inappropriate things. Yesterday there was a drunk man among the crowd of people asking for my autograph. He asked me to autograph his penis. I said no. What I should have said is, ‘Do you want me to initial it?’”
Poker people: Winners and losers
* Chris Moneymaker, an American accountant, won a seat at the 2003 World Series of Poker after playing a satellite tournament in the PokerStars online poker room. It cost him $39 to enter the first game; he ended up netting the $2.5m first prize at the global tournament. “It's a contentious issue whether poker is actually gambling,” he says.
* Zachary Gruneberg, a 19-year-old player from Pennsylvania, dropped out of university last month to pursue a career as a professional poker player. In January he won $250,000 at Australia’s 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championship. He’s too young to gamble legally in the US, so instead, he spends his time playing online. “There'd be days where I'd play 10-plus hours of poker online at school,” he says. “While you're playing, you can do so much other stuff. You can watch a TV show, talk to your friends, be on Facebook. It's all about multi-tasking.”
* Roy ‘the Boy’ Brindley, born in Dorking, Surrey, left a career training greyhounds to win £1m in online poker over an eight-year period. In his autobiography, ‘Life’s a Gamble’, he admits that gambling addiction has rendered him homeless at points in his life. Nevertheless: “To me, it’s massively satisfying. I was never good at sports and was 30 when I discovered a game that I could win at,” he says.
* Christopher Proudfoot, a finance controller, siphoned £1m of his employer’s money into his bank account between December 2004 and January 2008 to fund his habit. The 28-year-old fraudster, who now lives with his parents in Inverness, pleaded guilty in February to embezzling the cash. “The problem with some of these sites is when you win big they have their own way of getting it back,” he says. “When you’ve won a fair amount of money you can’t easily get it back. They don’t let you withdraw without letting everyone you are playing with no, so you carry on competing.” (Credit: The Independent)
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Sunday, May 03, 2009
Poker in the Park III Announced for August 13th & 14th
Europe's largest poker festival returns to London's Leicester Square this summer
April 8, 2009 (London, UK) -- Europe's largest free poker festival, Poker in the Park, will return to the middle of Leicester Square Park this summer. The third incarnation of consumer poker fair will take place on Thursday & Friday, August 13th and 14th.
This year promises to be even bigger and better than last year, with plenty of free live poker tournaments on offer, as well as live lectures and autograph signings from big name pros, plus all manner of discounted poker merchandise on sale.
Last year 10,000 people swarmed into the marquees in Leicester Square to play poker for free and listen to talks from the pros, including Devilfish, Neil Channing, Ian Frazer, Marc Goodwin, Paul Jackson and Nik Persaud. This year promises more big name players and exhibitions from some of the most exciting brands in the poker industry.
Bluff Europe's Editor-in-Chief Michael Caselli said, "Poker in the Park is about bringing poker enthusiasts from all over the UK together to meet their poker heroes, improve their play and play poker absolutely free with other lovers of the game from all around the nation."
###
Companies interested in sponsoring the event should contact:
Ed Whittington
Lyceum Publishing
Ed.whittngton@lyceumpublishing.com
+44 (0) 207 828 6988
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Poker
British Gaming
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April 8, 2009 (London, UK) -- Europe's largest free poker festival, Poker in the Park, will return to the middle of Leicester Square Park this summer. The third incarnation of consumer poker fair will take place on Thursday & Friday, August 13th and 14th.
This year promises to be even bigger and better than last year, with plenty of free live poker tournaments on offer, as well as live lectures and autograph signings from big name pros, plus all manner of discounted poker merchandise on sale.
Last year 10,000 people swarmed into the marquees in Leicester Square to play poker for free and listen to talks from the pros, including Devilfish, Neil Channing, Ian Frazer, Marc Goodwin, Paul Jackson and Nik Persaud. This year promises more big name players and exhibitions from some of the most exciting brands in the poker industry.
Bluff Europe's Editor-in-Chief Michael Caselli said, "Poker in the Park is about bringing poker enthusiasts from all over the UK together to meet their poker heroes, improve their play and play poker absolutely free with other lovers of the game from all around the nation."
###
Companies interested in sponsoring the event should contact:
Ed Whittington
Lyceum Publishing
Ed.whittngton@lyceumpublishing.com
+44 (0) 207 828 6988
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker
British Gaming
British Casino
European Gaming
European Casino
Poker News
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