APCW Online Gaming News Feed
Online gaming news from the Association of Players, Casinos & Webmasters.
July 17th, 2008 - 888.com Unethical Practices
by APCW / Affiliate Guard Dog
18 Jul 2008 at 12:26am
APCW / Affiliate Guard Dog - The APCW has learned that partner site Affiliate Gueard Dog tracked an unannounced change of affiliate terms and conditions at 888.com, also know as Casino-On-Net, and the owvers of Pacific Poker. The terms and condition change affects all properties. 888.com has decided to reduce all affiliate earnings to 10% should a webmaster produce traffic that does no result in a conversion each and every month. This flies in the face of logic, as webmasters are to send traffic and programs are to convert the traffic. It also flies in the face of lifetime revenue agreements set in place when webmasters signed up at 888.com, and goes against the very principles of affiliate marketing. This policy punishes webmasters by stealing profits owed to them under the previous revenue share agreement should 888 fail to do their job and convert the players. 888 has had ample opportunity and warning to address this issue and they have refused to comment.
July 16th, 2008 - McDermott Tries New Approach to Legal Online Gambling
by PRNewswire-USNewswire
18 Jul 2008 at 12:18am
PRNewswire-USNewswire - Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) introduced legislation yesterday that directs a potential $40 billion over the next 10 years to be spent on job training for those in the declining sectors of the economy and educational assistance for foster care youth. The legislation, Investing in our Human Resources Act of 2008 (H.R. 6501), would be funded through new revenue generated by regulated Internet gambling activities. We have an ideal opportunity to invest billions of dollars in American workers and our struggling economy without increasing the federal deficit, said Rep. McDermott in speaking about the Investing in our Human Resources Act (IHRA). IHRA would utilize a funding stream that would become available should Congress decide to legalize and regulate Internet gambling, which would protect consumers and collect tax revenue that is currently offshore. A provision in the legislation also encourages responsible Internet gambling behavior and an awareness of unsafe practices, something which has been praised by problem gambling advocates. (more)
July 15th, 2008 - Canadian Professor Urges Regulate Online Gambling Study
by Reuters
18 Jul 2008 at 12:15am
Reuters - Canada and the United States should legalize and regulate online gambling to contain its potentially harmful effects because players tend to bet more frequently and aggressively than they do in casinos, a study released on Tuesday says. The study -- conducted jointly by academics of the University of Western Ontario in Canada and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas -- found that online gambling is readily accessible via the Internet even though it is outlawed or in a "legal grey area" in United States and Canada. Online gambling is big business, the study said, estimating worldwide spending at more than C$10 billion ($10 billion) a year. Betting online is a problem, the study says, because it has the potential to be more addictive than casino gambling. Online gamblers can hide their activity more easily than casino gamblers, and betting can quickly become a routine part of their daily lives. (more)
July 12th, 2008 - Legal Online Poker in California?
by Poker Pages
18 Jul 2008 at 12:10am
Poker Pages - The California Gambling Control / Intrastate Online Poker Legalization Act (authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys) was approved by the Senate Governmental Organization Committee on Tuesday June 24 on a 6-1 vote, with amendments to move forward on drafting regulations and generating projections for potential revenue. The Attorney General's Bureau of Gambling Control, the state Gaming Control Commission and the Legislative Counsel will now recommend a structure for the system, analyze potential revenue and draft regulations to be included in the bill's language as it moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee in August, its final stop before a Senate floor. Poker Voters of America President Jim Tabilio said his organization, which serves as the bill's citizen sponsor, is extremely pleased with Tuesday's favorable Committee vote. "It's a good sign that the legislators are taking this issue seriously, understand the importance of the bill and are asking the right questions," said Tabilio. (more)
July 10th, 2008 - Fortune Affiliates Announces Christmas in July
by PR Newswire
10 Jul 2008 at 10:12am
PR Newswire - Christmas is coming early - and Fortune Affiliates has gifts for everyone. Affiliates can take part in Fortune Affiliates' hot new Christmas in July competition and win Amazon.com Gift Cards ranging from $20 to $10,000. Winning is oh-so-easy. All affiliates have to do is bring in New Active Casino Players between July 1 to August 31, 2008. The more players they bag, the higher the value of the Gift Card will be. To help with recruitment, Fortune Affiliates' marketing department has designed an irresistible Vault of Mystery player acquisition promotion, which will be running on Vegas Palms Online Casino during the month of July. Vault of Mystery Promotion banners will be available in the Media Management system of the Fortune Affiliates website soon. Here's how it works: All new players will be given the chance to pick one of three boxes in order to receive a generous No Deposit Mystery Bonus. (more)
July 9th, 2008 - Barack Obama Solicits Under Age Gambling?
by Star Tribune
10 Jul 2008 at 10:09am
Star Tribune - The fundraiser on Barack Obama's national website might be considered a raffle in Minnesota. Not so, his campaign says. The head of the Minnesota Gambling Control Board said that a solicitation for funds on the national website of the Barack Obama presidential campaign may constitute a raffle, which is a violation of Minnesota gambling laws. Tom Barrett, executive director of the board, said he will ask the state Department of Public Safety to look into the matter. The Obama campaign said Monday night that the solicitation does not constitute a raffle. "We are not conducting a raffle of any kind," said Nick Kimball, a spokesman for the Obama campaign in Minnesota. The Obama website, which is soliciting funds of up to $2,300, says anyone who makes a contribution to the Obama campaign of $5 or more between now and July 31 "could be one of 10 supporters chosen to meet Barack backstage" in Denver. (more)
July 8th, 2008 - NC House Wants Contest Under Video Poker Ban
by WAVY.com
10 Jul 2008 at 10:05am
WAVY.com - A new online sweepstakes that law enforcement argues resembles video poker may soon be on its way out of North Carolina. The House tentatively agreed Tuesday to make illegal a new game showing up in convenience stores and truck stops. A complete ban on video poker took effect in July 2007. Democratic Rep. Ray Rapp of Madison County said the bill would eliminate a loophole in that law involving the prize contest. A customer buys a phone card and then can play a game on a computer terminal similar to video poker to reveal the prize. But the player can roll over winnings and keep playing or spend more money on phone cards. The bill passed by a vote of 116-1. A final House vote could come Wednesday.
July 4th, 2008 - Warren Cloud Dead at 34
by Dispatch Online
10 Jul 2008 at 10:01am
Dispatch Online : Online casino pioneer Warren Cloud has died on his boat in the Mediterranean. Gambling South Africa reports that the South African multi-millionaire, 34, had a heart attack while sailing near the party island Ibiza, off Spain, at the weekend. Also known by online aliases “Oliver Curran” and “Don Fortune”, Cloud made millions after starting his online casino career in Johannesburg about a decade ago with a gambling site powered by Korean software. After Cloud’s first bet on online gambling went bust, he moved from Johannesburg to Australia, then to London and finally set up shop in Costa Rica. He made his millions there through the launch of online casinos such as High Rollers Lounge, Vegas Riches and Royal Circus Casino. At one stage, Cloud’s fortune reportedly amounted to R 2.4billion and he attempted to list his companies on the London Stock Exchange. The reclusive Cloud was rumoured to have retired in recent years. (more)
July 1st, 2008 - France to Assume European Union Presidency
by Epoch Times
1 Jul 2008 at 8:45am
Epoch Times - France is to assume presidency of the European Union starting Tuesday bringing along what analysts have described as packed full of diplomacy. Just fresh from his victory over rival Ségolène Royal last year, France's President Nicholas Sarkozy already has ambitious plans for the EU during his six months tenure as president of the 27-nation union which includes immigration reform and his project the Mediterranean Union, a pet project under France which plans to bring together countries in the surrounding area into a EU framed network. According to Eric Chevallier, special adviser to the French foreign minister, Sarkozy and the French presidency's top priority is to "explain more what Europe brings to the citizens of Europe" and also transform France's turn as head of the EU into a model of efficiency. (more)
June 30th, 2008 - UK's Biggest Casino Operator Launches Its First Online Bran...
by Leeds, UK
1 Jul 2008 at 8:41am
Leeds, UK - CircusCasino.com, which will be operated by Genting Stanley Alderney Limited, is a logical and important strategic step for Genting International in extending its product range for its UK customer base. The Genting International group's operations in the UK includes 44 clubs, such as the prestigious Crockfords club in Mayfair as well as the national Circus, Maxims and Mint brands. Justin Tan, Managing Director, Genting International, said: "Being the UK's biggest land-based casino operator, it is important for us to meet all the needs of our customers, including the growing demand to be able to play online from the comfort of their homes. It is a significant opportunity for us to leverage the heritage, expertise and reputation of our Group brands." (more)
June 29th, 2008 - Man Who Robbed Bank to Pay Online Gambling Debt Released
by Associated Press
1 Jul 2008 at 8:38am
Associated Press - A former Lehigh University class president was released from prison after serving nearly two years for robbing a bank to pay back his online poker debts.
Greg Hogan Jr., 22, the son of an Ohio preacher and former president of Lehigh University's class of 2008, left state prison on June 16 after serving 22 months for the August 2005 robbery of a Wachovia bank in Allentown. After handing the teller a note demanding money and saying he had a gun, Hogan got away with about $2,800 and then drove off with his unsuspecting fraternity brothers. He was arrested a few hours later at orchestra practice. ``When we sent him off to college, we envisioned coming back to Pennsylvania to listen to him make the president's address,'' said his father, the Rev. Gregory Hogan Sr., pastor of First Baptist Church of Barberton in Barberton, Ohio. ``Instead, we're here to pick him up from prison.'' (more)
June 28th, 2008 - Online Gambling Figures Flying in Norway
by Online Casino Reports
1 Jul 2008 at 8:35am
Online Casino Reports - The Norwegian online gambling industry has grown by a substantial 6.1% in the last year, according to figures released this week by the Norwegian Gambling Commission. An estimated 244,000 Norwegians gambled online in the last year, spending a total of Euro 961 million. The state lottery was the most popular choice with 48% of gamers choosing this online option. This was followed by online poker sites coming in at 28% and online sports betting at 27%. 82.9 % of online gambling revenue was directed at foreign providers, with Norwegian operators: Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping receiving a further $258 million. Research conducted amongst 10,000 Norwegians between the ages of 16-74 revealed that 12% of adult men had gambled online during 2007, as compared with only 2% of adult women. 9% of adult gamblers chose to do so via mobile phones. (more)
June 27th, 2008 - Bachus Offers Misinformation on Internet Gambling
by PRNewswire-USNewswire
28 Jun 2008 at 10:11am
PRNewswire-USNewswire - The American Banker published an editorial yesterday, Viewpoint: Blocking Web Gambling Rules Would Be Mistake, by Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) that uses incorrect information to argue for the continued prohibition of Internet gambling. Rep. Bachus opinion piece comes as the House Committee on Financial Services is scheduled to vote today on a bill, the Payments System Protection Act (H.R. 5767), that would prohibit the Department of the Treasury and Federal Reserve System from proposing, prescribing or implementing any regulations related to the current ban on Internet gambling, as required by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). It is unfortunate that Rep. Bachus is using scare tactics to argue for the continued prohibition of Internet gambling, said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. (more)
June 25th, 2008 - Lawmakers Disagree Over Defining "Online Gambling"
by Associated Press
26 Jun 2008 at 2:31am
Associated Press - Lawmakers failed Wednesday to agree on setting a clear definition of illegal Internet gambling to go along with a ban on online betting passed in 2006. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department have been unable to finalize rules to implement the ban because Congress didn't clearly define online gambling when it passed legislation less than two years ago. The House Financial Services Committee voted Wednesday on legislation to require federal regulators to write a uniform definition of which types of gambling should and should not be allowed on the Internet, followed by new rules implementing the ban. The tie vote, 32-32, meant the legislation failed under committee rules. Senate Republicans, pushed by then-Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, had attached the online gambling ban to an unrelated port security bill in a rush of year-end legislation in 2006. (more)
June 23rd, 2008 - House Panel To Consider Bill Halting Online Gambling Ban
by Dow Jones
24 Jun 2008 at 2:40am
Dow Jones - The House Financial Services Committee Tuesday will hold a markup of legislation aimed at halting regulations which prevent banks from accepting payments from Internet gambling companies. The move comes as part of two-part strategy by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Ma., chairman of the panel, to regulate rather than ban outright internet-based gambling. He is trying to put a hold on a 2006 law that instructs the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve to draft regulations preventing financial institutions from processing payments from online gambling sites. The measure has been opposed by the gambling industry, which argues there is no reason for the federal government to ban outright online gambling. It has also been opposed by banks and credit unions, as well as their regulators -- the Treasury and Federal Reserve -- which say the current law is too vague. "We want to make sure the regulations are not overly burdensome and are workable," said Floyd Stoner, chief lobbyist at the American Bankers Association. (more)
Newsfeed display by CaRP
|
