Let your mouth speak archive

Neteller has been the leading online payment options for online gamblers worldwide. Trusted, secure and easy to use, gamblers from all walks of life have recommended Neteller as the best Ewallet available. Now Neteller has announced a new product which promises to make your online gambling transactions easier and allows you to ‘load’ your card just as you do a pre paid card giving you access to funds in a quick and easy manner. Emails have been sent to all Neteller members announcing this new card with full explanations on how to use it. Neosurf is a prepaid card that can be used to transfer funds, deposit funds into your Neteller account and will be accepted at all major online gambling casinos.

As of right now, this new product can only be used by Neteller members in Spain, Italy, Belgium and France but Neteller plans to expand to many more countries around the world. Once you load your new Neosurf card, you can fund your Neteller account from home and enjoy the ease of depositing in your favorite gambling accounts. Each Neosurf card will have a 10 digit PIN number which clients will use when transferring money from the card to Neteller accounts and there will be step by step instructions to help anyone who is trying to use the new system. Players can make deposits between $30 to over $4000 and players will be informed that there will be a 1.50% processing fee applied each time money is transferred from the card to clients Neteller account. For more information on this new product and when it may be in your area, go to Neteller.com and look for Neosurf.

A journalist in Florida is warning the senior set that they could be falling prey to the pitfalls of gambling and other habits that could lead to social issues. Why the article points to seniors is confusing because bad habits can be had by all demographics. The growing population of elderly people in the USA is becoming the topic of many articles that deal with the issues that come about as individuals age.
Gambling can be a significant drain on anyone’s resources but as the article points out many seniors are on a fixed income and are using funds that normally would be spent on better housing and better nutrition to play at offline and online casinos.

The need to have some stimulation and fun are not restricted to the older set but becomes a problem when the person forgets and gets involved with sometimes unpleasant results. The gambling industry is well aware of the retired individual’s free time and available credit. Trips are often organized for a day out at the casino which are social until the gaming begins. In online situations the senior player may find comfort in chat rooms while playing bingo or poker.

The difference the experts say is when the gambler looses control over their spending and trys to cover up their issues by staying away from family and friends.
Some senior players get a thrill from the playing of slots and video poker which they say stimulates their memory and keeps them alert. Others say the playing at online or land based casinos provides a distraction from the boring routine of retired living and the pain sometimes associated with old age.
The article says that seniors don’t seek help for gambling problems because they are embarrassed or don’t know where to turn. Some signs that may indicate there are issues include the gambler saying they gamble to 'calm nerves' or combat depression, or a sudden need for cash or a loan. If you are a senior and are having trouble coping don’t hesitate to look for help, it could mean a great deal to family or friends who may see a problem but don’t want to interfere.

If you've been following Hydrangea-Gate, you might think she's a bit bitchy. Well apparently, it gets worse. According to Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, Madonna made volunteers at the Toronto International Film Festival turn to look at the wall because she didn’t want them looking at her when she walked past them.

The newspaper reports that although Madonna loudly praised workers at the festival, "…It was a bit of a different story backstage, however, when eight of those volunteers were asked to turn their faces to a wall so that they would not look at the pop-star-turned-movie-director as she made her way to her press conference about the film. One volunteer told the Globe they all dutifully stood with their backs to her as she passed."

Madonna was at the Toronto International Film Festival to promote her new film, W.E., about famous divorcé, the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson.

The Globe also reports that Madonna has likened herself to the late Simpson, since they were both hounded by fame. Madonna told the Associated Press at the Venice Film Festival, “I think once you become famous, you have to pretty much relinquish the idea that people are going to see you for who you are, or look beyond the surface of things. I think that was a source of great frustration for Wallis Simpson and for Edward VIII, because after he abdicated, they didn't really have the opportunity to defend themselves."

Madonna, an infamous diva, probably shouldn't complain about the pitfalls of fame and feeling different when she makes people treat her differently.

Like many EU countries, Hungary has been suffering from slower than expected growth of late and so has been mulling a series of measures to fill a $483.5m gap in its 2011 central budget.

Consequently, in order to help tackle some of the country’s monetary difficulties, Hungary is now in the process of introducing a series of tax hikes on luxury goods to help boost its budget revenues.

Already a tax has been levied on fatty, salty and sugary foods expected to raise around €70 million a year. However, this is just one of many areas targeted by the government and as Prime Minister Viktor Orban explained:

“There will be a few taxes that we will increase, such as gambling, alcohol and cigarette. We are going to increase taxes linked with expenditures that aren’t the most important in life and we are putting a stop to all spending that doesn’t need to be done this year.”

As far as the gambling industry is concerned, Finance minister, György Matolcsy has said that that from November 1, 2011 the government plans to increase the gambling tax on venues offering slot machines, whose taxes have remained the same since September 1st, 2005.

In order to better monitor these venues’ gaming machine revenues, Matolcsy indicated that the Hungarian government are also considering introducing an electronic measuring system, which would then allow them to potentially charge venues with bigger slots revenues higher taxes..

In addition to gaming venues, György Matolcsy has also indicated the government will be introducing an online betting tax next year and yesterday said to a parliamentary committee that “the concept for taxing online gambling was being prepared.”

Hungary is hoping that over the next coming months its tax measures will thus enable it to further reduce its current public debt of 77% of GDP to 73%.

“The crisis will not defeat Hungary, Hungarians will defeat the crisis,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The trend toward mobile gambling continues to take hold, with British betting operator Betfair the latest to see a jump in mobile betting in the second quarter of 2011, while suffering losses in other areas of its operations.

Mobile gambling doubles


Mobile gambling helped to offset losses in other areas, with the number of bets on smartphones and other mobile devices almost doubling to£7.4 million - translating to an increase in revenues to £4.2 million.

Core revenues from sports betting, games and poker offerings actually fell an annualized 7% to £80.8 million in the three months to July 31. However, this could partly be attributed to the especially high volume in online betting in the corresponding period last year, when the FIFA World Cup was on.

There was a 19% drop to 381,000 in active sports betting customers in the second quarter, compared to the previous year. However, Betfair said average revenue per user was up 17% to £157. The company said this was a result of its focus on retaining its highest value customers.

Betfair has undergone a raft of changes in the past year and will undergo more in the coming year, as CEO David Yu is expected to step aside in 2012.

The company moved its headquarters to Gibraltar in March, but last month the British government said online gaming companies such as Betfair that base themselves offshore would still need a domestic license to accept bets from UK-based customers. Betfair is also planning to enter the Italian and Spanish online gambling markets.

Actress Scarlett Johanssen is going to need to channel her new Avengers character, “Black Widow” in order to fight her latest round of nude pictures that were released onto to the internet by hackers this morning. This is the second time she has been targeted by hackers and this time around she is seeking help from the FBI to get a little justice.

It was the 26-year old actresses’ cell phone that was hacked into where a selection of sexy pictures the actress had taken of herself wrapped in a towel exposing her backside among others of her sprawled on a bed exposing her chest, were exposed.

This morning , the pictures appeared all over the internet prompting Johansson to contact the FBI for assistance. It was back in March that the actress first became a victim of the hacker ring that targeted a slew of Hollywood actresses including Vanessa Hudgens, Jessica Alba and Christina Aguilera for a total of over 50 attacks.

So this is round two for Johansson is hoping to get some answers from the FBI but one has to wonder why the actress would keep taking naked pictures of herself when she was recently hacked and is obviously part of the group of Hollywood “It girls” being targeted.

As the House sped through some 150 amendments to proposed casino legislation yesterday, several local lawmakers questioned or opposed the plan that calls for three resort-style casinos and a slots parlor, creating what supporters say will be 15,000 jobs.

"The proposal has basically got good bones, but everything else is in the details, and the details are always difficult to work out," said Rep. Chris Walsh, D-Framingham.

Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, a longtime opponent of legalized gambling, said he thinks casinos will hurt the local economy. He said he fears the casinos will siphon money from locally owned restaurants and theaters.

"I've called for an independent cost analysis for a true understanding of the social cost and how many jobs casinos will create and destroy," Eldridge said.

His reservations were echoed by Rep. Ruth B. Balser, D-Newton, who told House members that "this is a race to the bottom."

She referred to various studies showing the ineffectiveness of casinos to jump-start a local economy, noting Connecticut's finances as one of the most troubled in the nation despite it being home to two major casinos.

Other lawmakers, including Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley, cited studies that claim casinos promote the economy.

"This isn't the answer to our economic woes, but I think it's a step," Peisch said. "I don't think it will cause the quality of life in Massachusetts to change. The casinos won't be the focus. It won't be the one and only reason people come here."

Sen. Michael A. Moore, D-Millbury, said he thinks the casinos will create jobs and generate money for the state. But he also worries about the effect casinos and a slots parlor will have on those struggling with compulsive gambling.

"We need to make sure there are safeguards and make sure the community has a say in whether or not there is a casino in their community," said Moore, pointing to Milford, one of the proposed casino sites.

Walsh said Milford's economy is supported by the high-tech sector, which remains a bright spot in the state's economy.

"I think (a casino) could be much more useful in some of the areas that are having a more difficult time because their traditional industry has collapsed," he said. "I think Milford is kind of a waste of that."

Rep. Tom Sannicandro, D-Ashland, filed an amendment that would add two representatives from each casino community to the five-person statewide committee that would oversee gambling in the state. Sannicandro also submitted an amendment that would funnel gambling revenue into higher education.

Proposal by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission to sell Instant Kiwi tickets to increase gaming industry via the internet

Addressing competition from online gaming and gambling, the New Zealand Lotteries Commission puts forth a plan to sell tickets online.

According to a new plan proposed by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, the popular Instant Kiwi lottery tickets would be available for purchase through the internet. The proposal is in response to the increased popularity of online gaming and gambling.



In response, Todd Mcleay, chief executive for the Lotteries Commission, said that online sales add to consumer convenience.

Lotteries Commission Executive Mcleay states, however, that like other businesses, the New Zealand Lottery must become available online, or face adverse competition from private gambling and gaming interests. Mcleay adds that the online world is the future of gambling, and is viewed by many as the most important venue for all types of gambling, including Instant Kiwi.

At the present time, the proposal to promote Instant Kiwi tickets on internet casinos is under consideration but has not received final approval. Proponents see many issues to discuss before this proposal for expansion of gambling to the online world can be decided.

A two-year plan has been proposed by the Lotteries Commission, during which users of the New Zealand lottery would have more options for online activities, in what the commission hopes will be a more convenient and competitive environment for the lottery purchaser.

The Lotteries Commission is responsible for the lotteries in the country, including the popular Lotto, which is drawn weekly; Big Wednesday, Keno and Bull’s-eye. Profits are used in a variety of community projects such as funding activities in the arts and sporting activities. Since being established in 1986, the lottery has added close to $3 billion to these projects.

A new advocacy group created to rally support for legalizing and regulating online gambling launched today, supported by big casino money and a heavyweight advisory board.

MGM and Caesars provided the seed money for FairPlayUSA and executive director Marisa McNee said she expects the list of funders to grow. McNee declined to disclose the group's fundraising goals or budget.

The gaming industry has traditionally pushed Congress to legalize and regulate online gambling so American casinos can tap into the billions of dollars in revenues it generates each year.

The new group's advisory board includes Tom Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor and Homeland Security secretary, former FBI director Louis Freeh and poker champion Greg Raymer.

FairPlayUSA is not a lobbying group, instead it's focusing on outreach and education, its members said.

Freeh explained that the group's efforts are just getting underway. The first steps, he said, are to start a discussion stakeholders. Eventually, the group wants to pass legislation to crackdown on unregulated websites and legalize online gambling, opening the market to regulated sites.

It warns that Americans who gamble on illegal websites are being hurt by shady practices that often profit organized crime. In 2006, Congress passed a law in that banned most forms of online gambling, to prevent the profits from funding terrorist groups. But the group's officials argue the law is ambiguous and leaves the door open to unregulated gambling.

Europe's highest court delivered a blow to online betting companies seeking to break national monopolies, ruling that Austria can bar foreign gaming firms from operating in the country.

Several online gambling companies have launched legal challenges against a number of EU countries in an effort to break open a lucrative market with revenues of 80 billion euros (70 billion pounds) in 2010. They have had little success.

The Luxembourg-based EU Court of Justice ruling came in a case involving two Austrians who set up a multinational group -- bet-at-home.com -- whose members included several Maltese subsidiaries holding Maltese licences.

The two, backed by the Maltese government, said Maltese online gaming rules were adequate to protect consumers.

But Austrian authorities disagreed and accused the two of breaking the country's gaming laws. The Austrian court hearing the matter sought advice from the Court of Justice on the issue.

The EU court said the fragmented regulatory system across the 27-country European Union meant member states were entitled to do what they considered necessary to protect their citizens.

"When assessing the proportionality of a monopoly, the national courts are not required to take into account the monitoring and control systems regulating companies established in another member state," it ruled on Thursday.

"A member state may legitimately wish to monitor an economic activity which is carried on in its territory, and that would be impossible if it had to rely on checks made by the authorities of another member state using regulatory systems outside its control."

TIME FOR EU MEASURES?

European Lotteries, an umbrella group for 78 licensed national lotteries in 43 countries across Europe, welcomed the decision.

"Those that keep on calling for 'mutual recognition' of gambling licences between member states have now been dealt the final blow," Friedrich Stickler, president of the group, said in a statement.

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) lobby group, whose members include Britain's Bwin.party and Malta-based Unibet and Digibet, said it was time for EU-wide measures.

"Clearly the legal situation and fragmentation of the Internal Market for online gambling is unsustainable and requires urgent action from the European legislator to adopt an EU framework for the sector," EGBA Secretary-General Sigrid Ligne said.

The European Commission will decide next year whether to propose any reform.

A silly story came from the home of Nicolas Cage today after the actor was awakened this morning by one of those special type of fans who like to give unexpected doses of “We love you man” type love taps, but this one was a bit on the odd side because it involved someone breaking into his home naked, packing a Fudgesicle and wearing his leather jacket. Which one of these things doesn't belong in the picture?

In all seriousness, the actor was surprised in his California home by what some may call a “fan” at around 2 in the morning by a man who stood at the foot of his bed, wearing his leather jacket while eating the special frozen treat. According to Perez Hilton, Cage claims the whole event was quite traumatizing but no one was hurt and he didn’t even press charges.

Apparently, he did call the police but somehow managed to talk the guy out of leaving his house before the police arrived. He claimed, “I know it sounds funny…but it was horrifying.” It probably was since he was surrounded by his family and while the guy seemed somewhat harmless, you just never know what someone can do with a Fudgesicle.

It’s one of those stories I’m sure Cage and his family are laughing about today and hopefully along with the jacket this guy walked away with, let’s hope a pair of pants was also part of the deal.

Thanks very much to all those who have completed the survey. If you haven't completed it yet, please do so soon - the survey will be closing on 30th September.

I will conduct the draw in the week after the survey closes and you can expect to hear from me by 15 October if you have won an Apple Ipod Touch.

Thankyou again. The contribution from this forum is very much appreciated

JainieD

The latest news from Full Tilt Poker may not inspire a lot of optimism for its customers, but there are several other developments in the online poker world that are inspiring a lot of confidence that, sooner or later, the game will be back for US players. We’ve got the rundown on good news from Vegas, Massachusetts, and Germany as well as the latest news, or lack thereof, in this edition of The Fight:

First, the Full Tilt News:

It has been a while since Full Tilt Poker said much about their financial situation, most notably their inability to pay back US customers. The site did release a new statement to PokerStrategy.com this week, but there wasn’t much in the way of breaking news. The company did state plans to trim $12 milllion in costs from the operating budget, which includes eliminating up to 250 positions.

Full Tilt Poker still has high hopes it will continue to operate in non-US markets and, according to the statement, remains committed to repaying players. The site is set to meet with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) on Monday. That hearing will take place behind closed doors, but we will have the rundown of any major headlines stemming from the event next week.

South Point Sets Sites on Online Gaming

According to a report from Gaming Today, South Point Casino owner Michael Gaughan is teaming with Zen Gaming to bring free online poker to the South Point customer base. Gaughan referred to the plan as “experimental.” South Point is a Las Vegas-based casino in the Southern area of the city. The casino has played host to televised poker games like “Poker After Dark” and “PokerStars’ The Big Game.” Zen Entertainment also provides software for online poker site Rise Poker.

Zen also has ties to Stations Casinos owners, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta. The Station Casinos previously looked into teaming up with Full Tilt Poker to from a strategic partnership prior to Black Friday.

Looks Like Party Time in Germany

Things are looking up for German online poker enthusiasts. This week, Schleswig-Holstein became the first of the German states to give the greenlight to regulated and licensed online gaming.

Shortly after the announcement, stock in one of the biggest online gaming companies, bwin.Party, jumped 12% in value. The company has previously secured licenses for state-run gaming in places like France and Italy.

Massachusetts Looks Into Online Poker

Over the years, Massachusetts established itself as a state that didn’t want anything to do with online gaming, but now it appears to be changing its tune, with discussions on regulating interstate gambling on the docket for next week.

According to the Boston Herald, State Representative Dan Winslow is going to introduce a proposal to exempt poker from other new online gambling regulations based on the argument that poker is a game of skills.

This news comes just a couple of months after news broke that the state would once again consider plans to legalize and regulate casinos statewide. The current proposal includes plans for three casinos and one slot machine venue.

The Massachusetts House could hardly have spoken louder in support of expanding legalized gambling than it did with Wednesday's 123-32 vote to advance a bill to allow three resort-style casinos and one slots parlor. That represents nearly four votes in favor to every one against.

Passage of the bill was widely anticipated, as the House had approved a similar bill last year, but with more slots parlors. That drew a veto from Gov. Patrick, but the number of slot parlors was trimmed to one in a compromise worked out among the governor, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray as this year's bill was forged behind closed doors at the Statehouse this past summer.

Observers who expected representatives to roll over for the leadership-backed bill may have been surprised, however, that eight hours of debate and the introduction of 150 amendment proposals preceded the vote. While most of the amendments were rejected, reps showed more independence than expected.

One amendment that did make the final cut was Rep. Daniel Winslow's, R-Norfolk, to instruct the gaming commission to make a report to the Legislature by next July on legalizing Internet poker. We're skeptical about his argument that poker is more a game of skill than chance and should thereby be excluded from federal laws against online gaming, but the state ought to get a grip on Internet gaming. So should the federal government and we would like to see movement on legislation introduced in May by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, to replace the Internet gaming prohibition with Internet gaming regulation.

Where the opportunity to recover Massachusetts dollars now being spent at casinos in Connecticut and Rhode Island has been a major factor in our support of legalized gambling expansion, the same thinking flavors our outlook on Internet gaming. Gamblers are already betting some $10 billion a year in Internet gaming rooms, but they are off-shore operations not subject to U.S. law - or U.S. consumer protection. Legalizing, regulating and capturing a share of revenue would be a step forward from the current situation. It would be appropriate if the state's position on Internet gaming were made clearer at the same time as casinos are authorized. Winslow's amendment would allow for that, with the report coming a year from now, while the casinos are said to be two to three years away.

We wouldn't place any bets on how the state Senate will deal with the casino-slots parlor bill, which it is expected to take up in two weeks - though, as in the House, it approved a similar bill a year ago and this new one has its leader's support - but we would urge our senators to support retention of the Winslow amendment.

It was all quiet in Lohanlandia until a story claiming Lindsay Lohan and her partying ways led to a somewhat drunken attack by the actress toward a photographer that was attempting to take her picture while partying at New York’s, The Top of the Standard Hotel. While a rep for Lindsay claims the incident never happened, the photographer took to Twitter and made some serious Lindsay soup.

The alleged event took place on Wednesday night at the Boom Boom Room during a V Magazine party where many other party girls were on hand to celebrate the event including Courtney Love, Rose McGowan, and Mary-Kate Olsen, claims the NY Post.

Apparently the event took a turn for the worse after a woman who fell down the stairs and cut her arm, causing somewhat of a blood bath but it was moments before that crazy incident when Lindsay’s shining moment apparently took place. While partying with her mom, a guest at the party attempted to take a picture of her and that’s when Lindsay hurled drinks at the guy. He claims he wasn’t hurt but as expected, he took to Twitter had some lovely things to say about the girl.

“Wow. Lindsay Lohan is as trashy as they say. She threw drinks and glasses to me as we tried to take a shot for @vmagazine. [bleep]”

Did she really do it? Her rep claims that the whole debacle never took place but then a second report surfaced that same night that she threw another drink at a second photographer while partying at the the Electric Room. Ayaiyai, there goes Lindsay making headlines again.

The way things are going in the mobile communication industry we will all be walking into things and bumping into each other. In the future there will be a little icon on our phones that will warn us that we are about to fall off a cliff or hit a tree if we don’t look up and do something fast. More and more people are walking, driving, and even eating while texting or playing a game online with our mobile devices.

This activity is leading lawmakers to make it illegal to use the hand held devises while driving, and it may ban the process altogether in other places that may be considered dangerous. While online gambling may be on the watch list for addictive behavior it seems that the use of interactive machines is really the true addiction. The fascination of watching anything you can imagine on a small screen is truly a magic experience.
Knowing when it is appropriate to play is a talent that some possess and some don’t so why shouldn’t governments give those who don’t have the skill a chance to be treated fairly and have recourse should something go wrong?

A recent article from India explains that one of the world’s largest populations is turning to the internet at a rate exceeding all others. Online gambling is part of an entertainment industry that will fill the void for many of the newly connected. The need is there for controls to help the novice player avoid the pitfalls of all that information. As with a child, learning how to walk before running is essential in keeping upright. Today’s connected world can overwhelm and take hold of the user as it continues to offer riches and time to play while walking, driving, or standing in a queue.

The Internet is fun and informative but it can also lead to problems so beware don’t bet the farm on a quick game of poker and don’t sit for hours thinking you’ll win that big prize, remember the virtual casino has your number and it should be entrusted with care. Do the research, then do the math, online gambling portals offer advise for free, so that you can see where your going.

Today was the start of one of the biggest beer guzzling festivals in the world, Oktoberfest 2011, which kicked off today in Munich, Germany where millions of visitors are expected to wander through the 14 beer tents where liters of the liquid gold will be flowing throughout October 3rd.

The festival kicked off today at 12 p.m. when the city’s mayor, Christian Ude, tapped the first keg – kicking off the celebration. This year, as every year, visitors will be able to take part in lots of beer drinking and will be able to experience new rides including the “Monster” which is an oversized swing that rises up 40 meters while rotating, probably something you’d want to stay away from after a few liters. The festival will also be reviving last year’s historical tent, in celebration of the festival’s 200th anniversary.

This year festival goers will be dishing out €9.20 per liter of beer, claims DW World which is approximately $12.68. Assuming that Oktoberfest beer will probably be the best you’ve ever tasted, laying down a little extra for the stuff, is probably well worth it.

Other news for those planning on making the trip out to Munich, if you plan on spending your cash on beer and don’t want to stray too far from the action, there are over 300 tents set up in the Olympic Horse Stadium where revelers can camp out or pass out for under €70.

Austrian gambling giant Bwin was given a big boost Thursday, as the German state of Schleswig-Holstein split from the rest of the country and assed a law that will open the way to liberalization of the region's online gaming market.

Online betting from March 2012

A majority of legislators from the centre-right Christian Democrats and Free Democrats voted in the state assembly of Kiel to pass a law permitting any commercial operator to apply for online betting licenses from March 2012.

The move means Germany's northernmost state has split from the country's 15 other regions, which had made a consensus agreement to loosed a ban but not fully liberalize. Those regions wants to set a limit for seven online sports betting licenses over a five-year period beginning in January.

Germany's states, who have power over lotteries, casinos and sports betting, were told to act last year by the European Court of Justice, which said their traditional monopoly contravened European Union laws.

bwin and Betfair were among the internet gambling operators to welcome the move, with Betfair's head of German operations Peter Reinhardt calling it a decision that would "not only benefit consumers" but also boost the coffers of the state government and of local sporting clubs.

More than 20 percent of bwin.party Digital Entertainment's revenues come from Germany, so the company has been in worrying times since new strict gambling regulations were proposed in April. The company's shares soared in London on the news from Germany.

The French regulatory body suggested a new strategy in the taxing of gaming with online betting shops.

It seems that France understands very well the benefits that online betting shops can bring to a country, and that is the reason why regulators are looking for a solution to the high taxes in gaming.

Actually, gaming officials in France are working to keep online gambling a lucrative enterprise for both players and operators. Ever since they were controlled by regulations, which started in July of 2010, some online betting shop operators made the decision to leave the area as they considered it to be too difficult to compete and be able to make a profit.

The Regulatory Authority of Online Games (ARJEL) hopes that by installing new regulations that would reduce the tax obligation, they will send a very strong message of interest in wanting to keep the online gaming community in France.

ARJEL offered new guidelines to the French government in a proposal that is spelling out a full sixty-five possibilities for the changes. One of the proposals —which bases the tax rate on the total Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR)- expects to improve the French gamers’ situation.

Others that are involved in the government, such as UMP deputy Jean-François Lamour, have different ideas. He is against making changes, and instead is looking for a flat tax of 20 percent on every gaming product that online betting shops have to offer.

If his ideas are put to practice, poker, as well as other games, would be included. Many operators and online betting shop gamers are not in favour of this flat tax, as they believe that it reduces profits and inhibits competition. ARJEL proposes a stepped tax that would include 55% levied on horse betting, 38% for sports betting, and 25% for poker income. Many people in the industry, as well as many people with a betting site, believe that this tax solution is more equitable.

Other proposed changes have been centred on return rates to players, and this is also an open discussion. Regulators in France are being praised by betting site services everywhere for keeping in mind the desires of consumers and operators.

We could probably think of a few people at the 2011 Emmy Awards show who would be concerned with a special appearance by Charlie Sheen, but seriously folks, bygones. It seems that there was more than one person who was worried about Charlie's appearance including the creators of his previous TV sitcom, Two and Half Men, who according to Eonline, were threatening to cut out his part entirely.

So what exactly went down? Two and a Half Men producers apparently hold grudges, especially after Charlie left the show in a somewhat dramatic manner spewing his tiger blood and Adonis DNA all over the place. He definitely didn't go quietly which may be one of the reasons his ex-bosses were so concerned but to cut out his appearance from the Emmys may be taking things just a tad bit too far.

According to Eonline, the show's producers went as far as sending a cease and dessist order to the Academy of Arts and Sciences urging them to remove any clips from Two and a Half Men with Sheen in them and to just not have him appear in the show altogether. Apparently, they did remove the clips but Two and Half Men producers really have no say when it comes from banning Charlie altogether.

With all the hype, in the end, his appearance on the show would be TV gold. As the evening went on, Charlie showed up, presented his award to Big Bang Theory actor Jim Parsons for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy series and even took out time to thank the Two and a Half Men for creators and wished them the best. XOXOXO