Washington DC Council member doubts whether the internet gambling law will profit the district.

Tommy Wells a democrat council member may have a significant impact on the legalization of internet gambling in Washington DC if he decides to revoke it.

On the 19 July he was rather apprehensive and couldn’t understand the way internet gambling has become law even when it formed part of the budget. Wells said he is not against it per se, all he wants to know is how it will benefit the district. He said, “It is not good government. It’s not an open book.” On a more positive note Council Chairman, Kwame Brown took away Wells’ chairmanship of the transportation committee, this reduced his influence significantly.

Jack Evans who is the chairman of the Washington DC council’s finance and revenue committee, said that had a meeting with Wells and that he is against internet gambling …

The Network Services License is a new type of B2B license the Isle of Man internet gambling jurisdiction has decided to implement.

This new level of license available under the present Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001 (OGRA) is offered in recognition of the business-to-business associations that many gambling vendors are using, and it provides Isle of Man-based internet casinos the opportunity to attract potential players from across the globe.

Many experts are of the opinion that this new business model has the potential to attract many businesses into the Isle of Man and to increase its current businesses and to foster sound relationships with companies from around the world.

The price of the new license comes with a hefty price tag and will cost new operators GBP 50,000 per year plus GBP 5,000 for foreign customers. Retained profit duty will be paid at a maximum rate of 1.5 percent.

The Isle …

To attract more players Playtech has come up with an ingenious idea by releasing scratch cards that are based on some of its most popular internet slot games.

In general Easter Surprise Scratch, Santa Scratch and Pharaoh’s Kingdom attract a lot of players to Playtech powered internet casinos. Playtech has now added King Scratch and Iron Man 2 Scratch to its assortment as well.

Kong a Universal Studios slot game is considered by many as the 8th Wonder of the World. In the impenetrable jungles of Skull Island Kong Scratch plays off. Symbols used in the slot game are also used in the scratch card. A solitary symbol is arbitrarily selected to the prize position as well as the prize value. There are six symbols in the scratch card. The player will win a prize should any of those match with the prize symbol. The moment the player has selected …

Players who gambling online like to hear the term Cashback. This is why Playtech the web’s leading gaming software provider released a new slots titled Mr. Cashback. Not only does it showcasea myriad of cash symbols on the reels but it also has two exhilarating features.

Wild Symbol

The wild symbol is the cigar smoking Mr.Cashback. The jackpot payout is 7,500 coins, should five of these symbols materialize in an enabled payline. The animation clip shows an exited Mr.Cashback with piles of gold coins. Additional thematic symbols include gold coins bags, large amount of cash and the piggy bank. During winning animations they become animated. In accordance with this slot game’s theme high value card symbols from Ace to Nine also feature.

Scatter Symbol

The scatter symbol is the Mr.Cashback logo. When three or more of these symbols appear any place on the reels scatter payouts ensue. They are multiplied …

Apart from poker, Playtech had an overall increase in its revenue stream across all its verticals.

In its recent trading update for the three months ended on the 30th of June the AIM-listed company disclosed the following a recent publication. Year-on year its total revenues increased by 19% (not including France), and 7% overall, to €39.6m, internet casino profits increased by 7% (24% not including France) to €27.3m.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for poker, where the 3 % quarter-on-quarter decline recorded in Q1 an additional 12% quarter-on-quarter loss was recorded recently resulting in a 32% year-on-year drop counting in the French market and 24% without.

When it comes to poker Playtech aims to up the ante after the introduction of new cash games in the Italian market, its iPoker network forged a close-knit working relationship with Ongame by offering cash and tournament poker now that the Communitaria …

The UK government notified the British media that it’s contemplating a secondary licensing system. It targets foreign-based internet casinos that aims to advertise in the British market.

Justine Greening, Economic Secretary to the Treasury had the following to say: “In the best interest of all parties involved I’ll scrutinize the case from all angles when it comes to the implementation of a new tax law that’s not in conflict with John Penrose’s (gambling minister) proposal and taxing internet casinos based on player location as opposed to supplier location”.

In addition she said that an investigation is under way that will take into account the implications of other countries’ rules and that will ensure that UK internet casinos don’t pay double tax.

Based on analysts’ findings this might impact negatively on larger foreign based internet casinos such as William Hill, Ladbrokes and Betfair, since they’ll have to fork out GBP30 million …

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. announced that a new mechanism is in place that identifies and blocks problem or self-excluded gamblers from further gambling.

The technological innovation takes a photograph of punters in land-based casinos in the province by means of a new facial recognition system that pays special attention to players who have a history of problem gambling.

The moment a punter enters the casino his/her face is automatically scanned by cameras situated at the casino’s lobby. Therefore problem gamblers who willingly requested to be included in the self-exclusion list will be stopped by security personnel from placing bets at the casino.

This new system is now up-and-running at 19 of the province’s 27 casinos. According to Paul Pellizzari who is the director of policy and social responsibility for OLG, it is a comprehensive improvement if one has to compare it to the old method of having security …

The British media reported that the government intends to regulate and tax foreign based internet casinos that offer their services to UK punters.

Many British-based sites are angry because gambling sites based in other European countries pay less tax as opposed that in Britain.

Many of the UK’s top sites like Ladbrokes and William Hill formerly licensed in the United Kingdom, established offices in more favourable jurisdictions which means less tax revenue to the Treasury.

The minister for tourism and heritage for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, John Penrose said that the legislation would be tabled in parliament. It stipulates that foreign based operators will be issued with a secondary license where they must pay a license fee.

The specifics of the license fees were not disclosed in the publication. In future foreign based operators will fall in a different tax bracket. The British government intends to stop foreign …

Current news with regard to New Zealand’s internet gambling scene suggests that it’s playing out in the same manner as in most unregulated markets.

At this stage internet gambling is not regulated nor legalized in New Zealand, neither are there any plans to regulate it soon. The government is aware that players based in New Zealand wager at foreign-based internet casinos, and some internet casinos like Royal Vegas internet casino that permit wagers in New Zealand dollars.

Hitherto its national lottery said it aims to beef-up it sales by using the Internet as a launching pad to sell its main products. Based on a report from TVNZ, the national Lottery Commission issued a statement outlining its intentions for the next two financial years. It aims to sell lotto tickets in supermarkets and to produce Instant Kiwi ‘scratchies’ that could be purchased via the Internet. At present tickets could be purchased …

Almost overnight Macau, a former Portuguese colony in the Far East, has become a gambling giant and entertainment sensation.

If you open the drawer beside your hotel bed normally you’d expect a Bible, in Macau you’ll discover a small symbol of another faith: a new deck of cards. Every year millions of visitors make their pilgrimage from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland which is only 90 km away.

The rich fly in by helicopter; factory workers arrive in cramped coaches. Their temples have odd names such as the City of Dreams and Babylon-and their congregations are growing. It used to be called the Las Vegas of the East. But this small territory barely known to many in the West is the new giant of the casino industry.

For centuries Macau was a Portuguese colony and since 1999 it belonged to China. Thanks to the relative freedom it enjoys under …