Online Casino Edition – Casino News News about online casinos and gambling

Nick Xenophon, the infamous anti-online gambling advocate who is also an independent senator in the Parliament, came up with a novel idea for exercising greater control over online gambling. This was done to stop illegal betting that is carried on online and the attempts by losing players to avoid making credit card payments. He advocated stringent controls regarding advertising for companies having wagering products. Although laws in Australia ban online poker rooms and online casinos, as many as a billion gets wagered every year and there are hardly any persecutions related to such crimes.

Slots in the City

Quicksilver launched its latest release named “Slots in the City” which is currently active on its website. This is a multi-line game which blends the lifestyles of New York and Las Vegas and is at par with popular games like Le Posh Nosh, Maxamillion, Top Banana, etc. This new game comes with sophisticated graphics and stunning animations with 3D animated characters all in the midst of a busy city life. The classy New York lifestyle gets reflected in the yellow cabs, cocktails, and killer heels images. The game features a triple progressive jackpot which is not linked to the betting amount. The three random jackpots can be won through any paid spin at any time and playing with any amount.

Microgaming Withdraws

Microgaming has decided to leave the US casinos and all Microgaming powered games have been withdrawn with effect from this month. The Department of Justice made its decision leading to casinos barring Americans from playing there like the Royal Vegas, Vegas Palms, Fortune Lounge, All Slots, and Rich Reels- the list just keeps getting longer. In view of this ironical development, the US players are likely to resort to less trustworthy gaming sites that may not be able to protect player privacy or abide by professional ethics.

European Commission Turns Down Greek Request

The European Commission yet again turned down the request by Greece to consider its online gambling rules at a time when the politics and economy of the state are already in jeopardy. Some consideration is expected during June beginning and reports suggest that Greece’s ambition to implement reforms and generate tax revenues may not materialize in the end. The ruling party had claimed that such proposals would turn the already economically challenged country into a huge casino which is why the laws need to be revised.

The draft law is expected to generate as much as Euro 700 million every year through regulating the online gambling market. However, soon after the Minister presented the draft law to party members, fears of this law leading to gaming overabundance were voiced to the press.

Arrest of Poker Room Executives

Executives of three large online poker rooms were accused of frauds and money laundering in Manhattan and have been arrested for violating gambling laws in the United States. Nearly eleven people have been charged with which includes distinguished men like the Poker Stars founder.

These executives allegedly bribed banks to ensure that financial transactions declared illegal by the UIGEA to and from their sites continued unabated. The civil law suit amounts to nearly $3 billion and the accused may have to face thirty years of imprisonment if found guilty.

Major developments have occurred within the Netherlands over online gambling. The government has stated that by 2015 Holland will open up its Internet gambling market. With this, a gambling authority will be created who will control any operations. The main reasons behind this move are not only to bring the gambling industry in line with other countries but also to increase revenue for sports related activities. It has been estimated that the auction of licenses for Internet gambling websites and lottery sites will amount to a yearly sum of approximately $14.1 million from the year 2012.

The Proposal

The proposal was put forward on 19th March 2011. This is a major development owning to the fact that previously the Netherlands was quite against online gambling, to the point that they took it as far as the highest courts within the European Union. It’s thought the move is mainly due to the fact that the new political party, elected in October of last year, is much more liberal than the previous administration.

The Present Situation

Within the Netherlands, it’s legal to gamble. However, the government has a very tight hold in terms of regulations, to the extent that all gambling throughout the country is under the control of the Holland Casino: the state gambling monopoly. This began as early as the 1970s with the introduction of the first ever casino in the Netherlands. This has since expanded to 14. The country has had a large amount of criticism from others within the EU due to this monopoly. Nevertheless, the Dutch has justified their legislation by stating that it ensures fair play for all involved.

In terms of online gambling, the story is slightly different. The Netherlands is not keen on outside gambling sites being used by Dutch residents. From 2005, there has been strong opposition to gambling over the internet. Currently, it’s possible for individuals living within the Netherlands to use gambling sites based within the country. However, these have still not been given Dutch governmental approval. In fact, the Dutch government has made its disapproval obvious. In 2008, it sent lists of major foreign Internet sites used for gambling to banks within the country. They insisted that no dealings should be made with these. However, the banks chose not to acknowledge this information, claiming that such a move would be illegal.

EU Pressure

Today, the EU continue to push for the gambling monopoly to be disbanded. In 2010, the biggest online gaming exchange in the world, Betfair, and the largest bookmaker within Britain, Ladbrokes, filed suits against the country over its gambling policies. However, they were unsuccessful. Within Europe- Britain, France, Sweden, Italy, and Austria currently regulate gambling online. It’s felt that the Netherlands should go as far as to bring in licensing for online poker, sports betting, and bingo. It’s also been put forward that licensing systems should be made clearer and that the competition should be opened up, as opposed to the current monopoly which is in place.