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Internet gambling bills being considered in the US

20 May

It was argued before a congressional panel this week that Internet gambling should be legalized and taxed in the United States to raise $42 billion in the period of ten years and declare lawful gamers who bet online.

“We are talking about a decision by adults to do what they want to do with their own money,” said Democrat Representative Barney Frank, who sponsors a bill to legalize online gaming, citing John Stuart Mill’s essay “On Liberty” to bring across his perspective. The House of Representatives is considering two Internet gambling bills. One would legalize it. The other would require people to declare winnings from online gambling to U.S. tax authorities and set a 0.25 percent tax on wagers of all federally licensed bets.

The UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Act) has been signed into law on the 13th of October, 2006. The UIGEA objective was to stop the transfer of funds from any USA financial institution to online gambling websites, excluding USA based websites for lotteries and horse racing.

If all states took part, taxing online gambling could raise about $42 billion over a decade, according to the joint congressigambling-usonal tax committee. Washington Democrat Jim McDermott sponsors the tax bill, but not all Democrats back it. Some Republicans favour it, but others are against it due to moral concerns.

Privately held Harrah’s Entertainment, the biggest casino company, backs legalizing online gambling, but not the House bill on taxation. Rival MGM Mirage said it has no position on the tax bill, but supports legalization and taxation in some form.

The Obama Administration has yet to take a position on the matter.

United States House Committee set to review taxation of online gambling

14 May

When the United States initiated the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, the world of online gambling nearly came to a shuddering halt with the ramifications implied in the Act.

Many massive online gambling providers, specifically those invested almost exclusively in the US, struggled to cope with the new legislation, and many smaller companies were either declared defunct and bankrupt, or joined forces to tackle the remaining global markets, such as Europe. Larger providers either settled on a narrower focus, or pulled out of the US completely, and are still feeling the crunch of losing the US online gambling markets (arguably one of the biggest target audiences available).

On Wednesday, 19 May 2010, the United States House Committee on Ways and Means will review the tax proposals pertaining to online gambling in the United States. This particular committee has jurisdiction regarding taxation purposes, and although this situation is not as rosy in terms of allowing full access to the US online gambling markets, like before, the potential for being allowed back inside US borders and online domains is nevertheless a plausible one. The House Committee will be looking at creating some form of taxable system applicable to online gambling. In effect, the best positive outcome would be a return to US markets, but under very strict rules and regulations, as well as the added weight of taxes.

UIGEA’s current stance on online gambling lies in the generic inability to constantly monitor any funding forwarded from credit providers for online gambling purposes. For this reason, such fund transfers were deemed illegal, effectively denying any potential online gambling aficionados the chance of receiving funds to gamble with from any bank or financial institute. On the 1st of June 2010, the second phase of the overall UIGEA legislative motion will be instituted, demanding full compliance from financial authorities. The Committee will also bring proposals to legalise online gambling in the US again, positing a stance that there are plenty of taxable avenues intrinsic to legal online gambling. All of these proposals will be backed by research and findings based on the electronic commerce side of matters, and how these providers do and might feature in any possible re-legalisation process.

Arguably, the world of online gambling would heave a collective sigh of relief if the US was to once again open its electronic borders to online gambling, even if it meant a heavily-regulated and stringent adherence to whatever gambling legislation might be instituted. Until such clarification hits the newsstands, online gambling providers can only wait with bated breath and fingers crossed for possible good news.

Have Online Casinos boosted The Industry?

12 May

A serious increase in online casinos has taken place in recent years. The boom started with a few offshore based online gaming portals that offered poker and other games to people in North America. These websites drew in thousands of users, and were very popular. The casino industry took a metamorphosis with the emergence of online gaming.

While online gaminCasino Industry g has had a number of issues over the years, it has generally helped make the gaming industry reach a much wider population. Not everyone has access to an actual, land based casino. But people everywhere, even in small towns around the World, like to gamble. The online casino industry has helped the gaming industry at large by bringing gambling and casinos to such people via the internet. All you need to play in a casino online is a credit card or some other means of online payment, and there you go, a casino from the comfort of your household. The world becomes “flat” once again, as the experience is shared amongst players all over the planet.

The virtual gaming has also been able to make gambling more interesting by pitching people from across the world against each other. Not only does this give you a diverse set of challenges, but it also makes for more interesting pastime because you virtually get to know more people than you could in a real casino.

Death of an Online Casino Exec’s Wife

11 May

Recent reports have stated that the CEO and founder of one of the internet’s gaming social networks, Mark Campbell, has been accused of the killing of his wife.

Campbell, 53, allegedly attacked his wife Olga Pleguezuelos, while she was sleeping, after reading a text message on her phone that her lover has sent.

Pleguezuelos was reported dead last year after police found her lifeless body in her London home. The trial of Campbell in the case is currently underway.

The prosecutions arguments lie with Pleguezuelos waking up in the middle of the attack and attempted to defend herself against her husband. Campbell then proceeded to stab his wife to death. Prior to calling an ambulance, Campbell has slit his own wrists.

A week prior to the murder, Pleguezuelos had reportedly told her husband that she would be leaving him and moving to Las Vegas, where with her new man and new job she would be “starting afresh”.

The prosecutor stated that there was “nothing sudden or temporarily about it; that one could see from his own writings recovered from a bin, that he has been rationalising this situation for a while”.

Proceedings in the trial continue.

Bilingual Poker Tables

11 May

After much controversy over the inadequate amount of bilingual provision with Brunswick’s latest casinos, Casino New Brunswick, the holding company has now compromised.

The New Brunswick Casino will now be offering bilingual services a two of the poker tables they offer.

They will also be implementing this change in the not too distance future, as stated by the casino manager, who said the bilingual service will also be implanted on blackjack.

Marvel Comics Gets Sued

23 Apr

After a greatly publicised and successful relationship with Cryptologic, an online casino software developer for over five years, which proved a very profitable endeavour for both parties, things in the relationship have turned soar.

The software developer has taken up arbitration proceedings opposing the comic designers. The reasoning behind their actions is stated due to Marvel apparently breaching their provisions as stated in the licensing agreement.

The partnership that began in 2005 between these two power-house brands was set to continue ‘til 2013 with Cryptologic holding exclusive licensing rights that would have let them use any of the Marvel-inspired superheroes as characters and themes for a collection of their slot games. To date, 17 various slot machines have used many characters including Spiderman, Blade, the Hulk and more.

However, in 2009, another deal was signed between marvel subsidiary (Marvel B.V) and PlayTech, which is in direct competition with Cryptologic.

In recent reports, it was said that Cryptologic had attempted to resolve the issues with marvel away from the courts but found themselves faced with an uncooperative Marvel. The software developer sees this legal action as a final resort in order to protect their licensing rights.

Jailed Gambler

22 Apr

The Resorts World Sentosa, the five-star resort and casino in Singapore has apprehended its first cheating player.

Hou Yongwei has been convicted and sentenced to at least 10 months in a federal prison.

Mr. Yongwei landed himself in the dock after attempting to cheat at a game of Tai Sai.

Following his attempts at cheating in the game, the dealer noticed it; and later, CCTV footage picked up what the dealer had already suspected.

Australian Arrested on Charges of Illegal Gambling Transactions

20 Apr

Australian Arrested on Charges of Illegal Gambling Transactions

27-year-old, Daniel Tzvetkoff, an Australian national has been arrested in Las Vegas.

Daniel is facing charges of aiding offshore online gambling companies with the processing of banking transaction for US players. The estimated worth of these illegal transactions is said to be more than $543 million.

The official charge Daniel is facing is illegal gambling conspiracy as well as bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering.

If convicted, he could be facing more than 75 years jail time and fines totalling more than $543 million.

Sources claim that Daniels whereabouts in the US where know due to tip offs authorities received from certain internet gaming companies who are claiming that Daniel had stolen up to $100 million of their customer deposits in the US.

In the indictment, David had been laundering money for some time now (from February 2008 to March 2009); his laundering days were numbered when internet gaming companies stopped their work relationship with him due to his apparent theft.

David’s company, Instabill, Inc., has used Automated Clearing House transactions to move cash around from player accounts to various offshore shell companies. He then proceeded to move these funds into gaming accounts. He would also use these companies to shuffle player winnings made at internet casinos back to the bank accounts of US players.

David’s arrest comes off the arrest of another man, Douglas Rennick, a Canadian resident, who in August 2009 was charged with transferring a staggering $350 million to bank accounts in the US from accounts in Cyprus.

Public Nominations for Women in Poker Hall of Fame 2010

19 Apr

Public Nominations for Women in Poker Hall of Fame 2010

During the course of the Labour Day weekend in the US, the general poker playing public will be given their opportunity to submit their nominations in the 2010 Women in Poker Hall of Fame.

Nominations for the awards can be made up until 10 April 2010; eleven days thereafter, the announcement of the official ballot will be made.

All potential female nominees are required to be an active poker player for more than 15 years as well as contributed to the poker industry in a meaningful manner.

2010 also marks a new nominating arrangement which sees candidates having to be a proponent of the women’s game of poker. Regardless of whether the candidate players are not, she only has to show her support. This year, the general public and not only members will have the opportunity to vote.

Upon completion of the final ballot of names, the voting process will also be open to the public. Public vote will count for about half the final determination, with members of the Poker Hall of Fame and enshrined members counting for the other half.

The final winners and newest inductees into the Hall of Fame will be announced on 3 September 2010 at a popular Las Vegas casino venue. Jan Fisher will also be on hand for the grand event as the Master of Ceremonies for the night.

Inadequate French Casino Rules

16 Apr

Inadequate French Casino Rules

Operators in the online casino industry have stated their opinion on the recent French laws, which have opened the online gambling community in the country to much concern over companies not being able to prosper.

Gambling operators located internationally, who are willing to accept the business of the French have complained about taxes and additional restrictions that would pull profits, and give the existing gambling monopoly an unfair advantage.

New laws in the country do not allow online blackjack or roulette options of play, due to the Francaise de Jeux having the monopoly over these casino games. Sports betting will be allowed, but will have an 8.8 per cent tax; this percentage being a lot higher than many bookmakers would like.

Insiders have suggested that the Francaise de Jeux could lead to an offset of exposure through sports betting together with table games, but international casino operators will be left with increased risk propositions. With the exclusion of casino games it has been stated that the monopoly would be just fine.

Recent information has surfaced that these French online casino regulations have not been found to comply with European Union (EU) rules as stated by the Court of Justice. Numerous nations have been involved in heated debates over the issue of online casino gambling as well as the free markets, with response to the problems being slow.