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888 and PKR Take Out eGR Operator Poker Awards

 The coveted 2013 eGR Operator Awards took place earlier this week and a number of online gaming companies ended the night as winners.

That was the case for 888 and PKR, both of whom took home poker awards that were on offer at the event.
PKR won the Best Mobile Poker Product at the awards night, while 888’s poker service took out the poker operator award, the third year in a row it has done so.
Held in London, the eGR Operator Awards also recognized other forms of online gaming, including bingo, sports betting and slots. 888 took out three awards in total, including the most prestigious award of all, Operator of the Year.
Senior Vice President of 888 Ital Pazner said the positive recognition of the company at the awards ceremony was humbling and showed that 888’s efforts have paid off.
“This year has been an extremely exciting and successful year for 888 and all of its brands,” he said. “To win all three of the top EGR Operator Awards is an amazing achievement and drives our continuous focus to be the leading global entertainment gaming brand.”
The poker operator award was a cherry on top of what has been a great year for 888’s poker service. According to PokerScout, 888 is the third largest poker service in terms of online traffic, with the site having a seven-day cash game player average of 2,300.
PKR is a long way down that list, but its 3D graphics have proven to be popular with many people who play poker on their mobile devices. That has helped the London-based company to take out the best mobile poker product category at this year’s eGR Operator Awards.
PKR’s Chief Operating Officer Leon Walters expressed his joy at his company winning the award and said it would give PKR extra motivation to make their product even stronger than it currently is.
"We've worked hard to produce a high quality mobile product which will stand the test of time, and recognition by your industry peers is great," he said. "It's also critical that we continue to offer our players the most unique and engaging experience in poker, and that we make progress every year.”
Other notable companies who took out awards at the event were Unibet, who won the Marketing Campaign award, and bet365, who won the Sportsbetting Operator and In-play Sports Operator awards. Paddy Power had a very good night at the eGR Operator Awards and took home three trophies; Best Financial Betting Product, Best Social Marketing Campaign and the Slots Operator award.
Author: Ekaterina
28 . 11 . 2013 y.
PIVGame License Suspended by LGA

 The Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) suspended the license of PIVGame earlier this week, directing the company to cease operations which it conducted under the LGA's permission, eGR reported.

The directive was handed down by the gaming authority on November 25, calling for PIVGame to suspend all gaming, stop registering players, refrain from taking deposits, and to "provide registered players access to their accounts and to settle all players’ dues."
By the looks of a thread on 2 + 2 devoted to the gripes of players with outstanding account balances, it appears that the settling of player accounts may not be in the offing. The thread began in June with poster 'RV-' estimating that players are owed more than $738,000.
Six more pages of player complaints follow, with many detailing further monies owed to players. A total of 83 posts are made by players in the thread, with the last post as of this writing perhaps being most succinct of all.
"Neither PiV Nor LGA answers my e-mails, so I think, you can forget about your money: LGA and PiV work together," posted a disgusted 'pokerman12.'
Players who do have outstanding account balances are encouraged by the LGA to send all pertinent information including a screenshot of the last account balance and/or pending cashouts to [email protected].
PIVGame's website offers gaming operators a "turn-key solution" that includes games, licensing, technology, customer support and "payment solutions." The company lists its address at 192 Old Bakery Street, VLT1464 Valletta – Malta.
However, the website appears to have been left for dead for quite some time, with the latest updates posted in May, 2013. The bottom of the page still boasts the LGA logo, despite the suspension order issued three days ago.
The LGA's effectiveness has been questioned in the past, particularly in the case of one of its other licensees. Everleaf Gaming also had its license yanked by the LGA earlier this year with numerous player complaints of substantial sums of money left unsettled.
Author: Ekaterina
28 . 11 . 2013 y.
888 Again Cited for Misleading Promotions

 In the second time in as many weeks, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has called out 888 for misleading its customers.

The latest warning was issued over an introductory demo on a slots game known as Wild Gambler. Punters were allowed free spins on Wild Gambler on the media888.com website before making the decision to wager with real money.
The demo awarded payouts to players every other spin. A complaint filed by Netplay argued that players would likely expect winning spins half the time when gambling with real money as well, eGR reported.
888 voiced its contention that the demo was merely designed to give players an introduction to the product and did not incorporate the algorithms and random number generation found in real money games. But the ASA agreed with Netplay and forced 888 to remove the demo or to make it understood that the chances of winning 50% of the time during real money wagering was not likely.
Last week, a complaint by Rational Group that banners on an 888 website proclaiming to offer the “best benefits, bonuses, promotions and exclusive event offers anywhere online” was simply not true was also found to be misleading to players by the ASA.
Author: Ekaterina
27 . 11 . 2013 y.
Online Gambling in New Jersey Under the Microscope

 New Jersey's online gambling hard launch kicked off yesterday under the watchful eye of the entire industry.

Despite a number of payment processing and geolocation issues that were to be expected, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement gave the thumbs up to six of the seven licensed casinos to open up their virtual doors to all adults within state borders.
The Golden Nugget has decided to continue under test mode for a bit longer, while the Tropicana, Borgata, Bally's, Trump Plaza, Caesars and Trump Taj Mahal are open for Internet business. Over a dozen online gambling sites are now available to those who visit or call New Jersey home.
Lawmakers from several other states such as Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Illinois and California have indicated a desire to consider online gambling legislation in coming months. Legislators from those states and others will be watching New Jersey closely and analyzing just how beneficial an igaming endeavor might play out in their own states.
While some knowledge can be gained from observing the online poker and gambling regimes of both Nevada and Delaware, it is New Jersey that will likely be viewed as a litmus test for the rest of the country. The smaller populations of both Delaware and Nevada make the sample size of those schemes somewhat lacking as a proper representation. Add to that the fact that Nevada is poker-only and it's easy to see why New Jersey and its population of over nine million will be under the microscope.
A main issue to many states is whether or not online gambling will mean decreased attendance at casinos. It is hoped by many that older citizens who frequent casinos continue to do so, while the younger, more computer-savvy crowd embrace gambling via the Internet.
Atlantic City casinos have seen revenue shrink for seven consecutive years. Much of that was due to more casinos popping up in neighboring states. Recent studies indicate that online gambling may turn the tide for the struggling New Jersey casinos. That is exactly what the rest of the country wants to know, whether the land-based and virtual casinos can thrive simultaneously.
If they can, we can expect the legislatures of other states to jump on the online poker and gambling bandwagon. But first, all eyes remain on New Jersey to determine if overall revenue will be as lucrative as some projections have indicated.
 
Author: Ekaterina
27 . 11 . 2013 y.
Sky Poker Upgrades Software

 Sky Poker announced a software upgrade of major proportions that aims to attract players of all levels to the online poker site.

More than 20 "new and improved features" are now available compliments of the revamped software that enhances the poker-playing experience at Sky Poker. Those features include redesigned tables that are resizable, as well as preferred seating options.
Both of those features are standard requirements for multi-tablers, who are often navigating quickly from one table to another. The tables now also have a clearer and sharper appearance that is easier for players to use. Options of playing with a full screen or automatic tiling are available for both recreational players and grinders.
Another new feature includes automatic top-up of cash balances during ring game action. Several players have responded favorably to the software upgrade, with one loyal Sky Poker player claiming that the changes give the site a "fresh, professional feel." A glance at the Sky Poker website reveals that more changes are yet to come.
Sky Poker is currently ranked 27th in PokerScout's worldwide rankings, with an estimated 350 cash players in a seven-day average. That is roughly the same amount of action as is now found at both the Chico and Merge Networks.
Sky Poker is part of British-based Sky Betting and Gaming. Headquartered in both Leeds, West Yorkshire and Isleworth, London, the company also operates Sky Bet, Sky Vegas and Sky Bingo.
Author: Ekaterina
26 . 11 . 2013 y.
Major changes in the WSOP international schedule: No WSOP Europe in 2014

 The World Series of Poker (WSOP) announced big changes in its international schedule starting next year.

The second WSOP Asia-Pacific (APAC) will be rescheduled and set for October, 2014. The inaugural edition was held in April, 2013 with Daniel Negreanu winning the Main Event. Next year, the poker festival will take place between October 1st and 17 at the Crown Casino in Melbourne and will feature 10 events.
WSOP Europe will take a year off and will return in 2015. WSOP decided to organize WSOPE bi-annually, in odd-years. The Asia-Pacific poker festival will also take place bi-annually, this time in even-years.
“We are excited to return to Melbourne in 2014 for WSOP APAC and the beginning of a new era for our international championships. The WSOP standard is bigger, better and different. Moving to a rotational approach, with one international event per year allows for better organization and more marketing in each region. We also want to do right and provide more value for the players’ travel dollar. There is a glut of poker tournaments around the world and our vision is to each year put on a single global showcase that can’t be missed,” WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said.
Crown Melbourne has also teamed up recently with Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) and will feature a special Aussie Millions Main Event in February 2014, part of the widely-known APPT.
“Crown is once again proud and excited about the partnership between two industry leaders to create another premier poker event in this region. The new scheduling sits perfectly within the Melbourne events calendar, at the tail end of the Australian Rules Football finals and the beginning of the internationally renowned Spring Racing Carnival. This provides exposure in Asia, Europen and America, which will turn for an integral part of Crown’s global marketing strategy to attract additional visitors to Australia and Crown Melbourne,”  casino COO Xavier Walsh explained.
 
Author: Ekaterina
26 . 11 . 2013 y.
US Politician Reiterates Support for Online Gaming

 Prominent gaming tycoon Sheldon Adelson made headlines this past week after outlining his plan to launch a campaign to ban online gaming in the US.

News of the plan immediately led to a major backlash from online gaming and poker supporters, many of whom fear that his extensive connections to the country’s Republican Party could encourage some politicians to push for a ban.
That possibility may not happen easily as one federal Republican politician reiterated his support for the legalisation and regulation of online gaming. Joe Barton, who represents the state of Texas, said the US would benefit from a nationwide law which allowed online gaming to be provided and played in the country.
“New Jersey’s is the latest in a growing list of states to enter the online gambling world and this only reinforces the need for my bill,” he said. “Each law is different, which creates uncertainty with a complex array of regulations that could leave players at risk."
The bill Barton referred to was the Internet Poker Freedom Act, which would have created a licensing system for online poker companies wishing to operate in the US. The bill was introduced to the US Congress in July but has not progressed much further since then.
Barton’s reiteration of support for nationwide online poker regulation is something that will likely be welcomed by those on the pro-online gaming side of the debate. Online gaming has been getting much momentum behind it since the states of Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey took their own steps to legalise and launch online gaming markets this year.
New Jersey’s decision to regulate online gaming can be viewed as significant given that its current governor, Chris Christie, is also from the Republican Party. That, combined with Barton’s vocal support for federal regulation, may encourage other prominent Republican politicians to support the issue.
If other Republican lawmakers do indeed voice their support for online gaming or at least oppose a total ban on it, it may be a major factor in ensuring that Adelson’s future campaign does not achieve its desired outcome.
That is unlikely to deter Adelson from moving forward with his planned anti-online gaming campaign in 2014.
Author: Ekaterina
25 . 11 . 2013 y.
iPoker Network Releases Details Regarding Upcoming Changes

 The iPoker Network released more concrete details regarding its optimization plan that will provide players with a "better and simpler poker offering."

Those were the words of iPoker Network Operations Manager Asaf Younger about 10 days ago when he told PokerUpdate that the world's top online poker network looked at statistics and market trends and realized that changes were in order to benefit players. Playtech-owned PokerStrategy.com has now outlined the specifics of those changes.
The first order of business is the removal of USD tables. USD SitNGos and MTTs of lower profiles will begin converting to EUR on November 25. By January 1, 2014, American currency for all tournament action will be completely removed.
Cash tables will see the conversion process to EUR begin on January 6, 2014 with all Stud and Speed Hold'em games, along with micro-limit Omaha and Texas Hold'em action. All remaining cash tables will eliminate USD one week later on January 13.
The next change entails reducing certain game types and stakes. As it stands now, iPoker offers seven different table types at two speeds and in three currencies. Due to the recent implementation of time banks, iPoker has determined that a consolidation plan is in order to bring about greater efficiency.
Beginning on December 2, only the four table types of Shallow (20 – 50BBs), Normal (40 – 100BBs), Ante (100BBs, antes) and Anonymous (30 – 100BBs) will be in play. Time banks of 20 seconds will be allowed for Speed Hold'em and No-Limit Hold-em, while 25 seconds will be permitted for Omaha.
Also in the works is the conversion of 10-max SitNGos to 9-max. Some SitNGos will be removed altogether, such as those that feature more than 18 players.
Tables at certain stake levels will also be removed, such as all limits of full Fixed-Limit Hold'em ring games and all heads-up No-Limit tables above 5/10. Nosebleed action at Omaha and No-Limit also got axed, leaving only 6-max 50/100 NL and full ring action at stakes of 200/400 at NLHE.
Those changes will begin on December 2, with completion expected on December 9. The implementation is seen by the network as being cost-effective after making a careful study with regard to the popularity of stake levels among players.
Author: Ekaterina
25 . 11 . 2013 y.
New Jersey as Regulatory Hub Proposed by Lawmaker

 New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak has introduced legislation that would allow the state to become a regulatory hub of online gambling in much the same fashion as the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.

Lesniak is urging his legislative colleagues to vote in favor of his plan that would grant foreign operators a Restricted Foreign Internet Wagering (RFIW) permit. The permit would allow licensees to operate online gambling sites in jurisdictions throughout the world where such gambling is legal, except for the U.S.
“Just as egaming operators are applying licences to offer internet gaming in New Jersey, they could apply for an international licence to offer gambling outside the United States,” Lesniak told eGR. "We are putting down the welcome mat to operators, whether located in Gibraltar or the Isle of Man or anywhere.”
Operators granted an RFIW permit would be required to locate computer servers within Atlantic City. Such a set-up would result in foreign operators opening offices in New Jersey, which would add jobs and additional revenue to the state.
Lesniak, who introduced the online gambling bill that Governor Chris Christie signed into law in February, appears confident that his latest proposal will be overwhelmingly accepted by fellow state lawmakers. His vision is that New Jersey eventually become a centerpiece of Internet gambling worldwide.
“I don’t expect any significant opposition this time around as there is no competition being taken away from Atlantic City in any way shape or form,” Lesniak said.
The plan calls for operators who receive a RFIW to pay a $200,000 initial fee and renewal fees of more than $100,000 annually. Contributions would also be required that would benefit problem gambling programs and the New Jersey Racing Commission. The tax rate paid by operators on gross gaming revenue would be 10% with tax credit provisions for any taxes paid to foreign jurisdictions.
Lesniak said that his proposal was created at the behest of international operators who feel that New Jersey's highly-regarded casino industry make it an ideal location as a regulatory hub of online gambling.
Author: Ekaterina
22 . 11 . 2013 y.
PokerStars Notably Absent From New Jersey Soft Launch

 New Jersey's soft launch for invited players kicked off yesterday amid reports from a number of invitees that several glitches kept some from enjoying a successful first day of gambling online.

The same troubles that Nevada players at Ultimate Poker and WSOP.com encountered are being reported by New Jersey players such as problems depositing with credit cards, identity and location verification, and even simply gaining access to sites, the Press of Atlantic City reported. However, those issues are par for the course and are the reason why a five-day test period precludes the real-money hard launch that will open to the general public within New Jersey next week.
Seven Atlantic City casinos have been green-lighted by New Jersey gaming officials to provide online gambling and each are allowed as many as five websites. But the latest list released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) shows 15 domains receiving approval to launch.
Those 15 websites are being offered by the platforms of Bwin, 888, Amaya, Bally, Gamesys, Betfair and Ultimate Gaming. Notably missing from yesterday's soft launch rollout is PokerStars, who conceded earlier in the week that they will not be among the participants in New Jersey as discussions with the DGE regarding licensing approval continue.
PokerStars has been running into difficulty in its attempts to gain a foothold in the New Jersey market. A failed purchase of the Atlantic Club casino earlier this year led to a 'plan B' that saw the world's leading online poker room forge an agreement with the Resorts Casino Hotel in an effort to tap into the U.S. market.
But 'plan B' has come under intense scrutiny from DGE regulators who reportedly are unhappy that PokerStars' founder Isai Scheinberg remains a fugitive from justice. The Black Friday charges that Scheinberg has yet to answer to include allegations of money laundering, operating an illegal gambling business, and violating the UIGEA.
PokerStars has previously indicated its intent to headquarter its U.S. operations in the Garden State if its license application finds favor with DGE officials. That could be a big boon to the New Jersey economy and is certainly taken under consideration by state regulators as they continue sorting out licensing and domain approvals on a rolling basis.
In the meantime, the New Jersey soft launch will continue with eight more hours of online gambling for invited players today. That will be expanded to 16 hours tomorrow and 24/7 wagering on both Sunday and Monday before the hard launch goes forward on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Provided, of course, that the issues plaguing the online poker and gambling sites can be ironed out.
 
Author: Ekaterina
22 . 11 . 2013 y.
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