Let your mouth speak archive

Aussie Senator Wants Apple to Take Down Online Casino Apps; while PokerStars Keeps Mum

Questions are cropping up in relation to Aussie Senator Richard di Natale’s warning for Apple to exclude PokerStars online casino app from its App Store. It seems the senator is barking up the wrong tree here, because the App Store is only the app vendor, while PokerStars is the online gambling operator.

Besides, thousands have already downloaded and installed the free Apple casino app; who is going to stop Aussie iOS device users from directly connecting to PokerStars’ servers? Well, since the good Senator is only calling on Apple, it means Australian Android users can still download the PokerStars app, although it is not available on Google Play.

What about PokerStars? Will the online casino operator voluntarily block all Australian iOS device users to prevent them from connecting to PokerStars’ software, or will it gamble and wait for a full investigation to take place? Quite many know about PokerStars’ current feud with the American Gaming Association (AGA), and they would be interested to read or hear what AGA has to say about this.

PokerStars is definitely treading on shaky grounds in Australia and in the U.S. since the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) has been taking a tough stance as a regulatory body. PokerStars has yet to have its online gaming licensed approved by the NJDGE. If the ACT Gaming and Racing Commission finds PokerStars guilty of violating the Australian Interactive Gambling Act, the UK-based online gambling operator will fit the “bad actor” description to a tee.


Aussie Senator Wants Apple to Take Down Online Casino Apps : ADI News

Should Internet gambling be allowed in the state of Illinois? That's the question lawmakers and Governor. Pat Quinn will have to consider as part of the latest gambling expansion proposal in the General Assembly.

A lot of people we talked to in Rock Island, near Jumer's Casino, said they would like to see support for that bill.

"I think it's a great idea. If it's a way to raise money for taxes or anything, I think go for it," said Brandon Zeglin, who lives in Rock Island.

"Hopefully it will pass, and then that way we'll be getting some more money in the community. That'd be nice," said Santina Bennett, who said she likes what Jumer's has done for the city.

"I really don't care. I think they should. If people want to do it, I think they should," Donisha Hawkins, another Rock Island resident, said.

The proposal on the table would expand gambling in Illinois by adding five new casinos and thousands of slot machines.

"I suppose there are ups and downs either way you look at it," said Brad Holcomb, who was filling up his gas tank at the BP near Jumer's Monday afternoon.

"it could be good for people to go have fun, but bad for people losing too much money," he explained.

Governor Quinn already rejected two similar proposals, saying they didn't include enough ethical safeguards and regulation.

So, lawmakers came back with this proposal, banning political contributions from the gambling industry and adding more oversight.

But this bill would also legalize Internet gambling in the state. That would allow Illinois residents to play games their computers or smart phones - with real money on the line.

"It's always a good thing, more money coming in," Bennett said.

On the other hand, some say using a smart phone to gamble may make it a little too easy to get into trouble.

"If I was having a couple too many drinks that wouldn't be good," Zeglin said.

"Well, I say no," said Rock Island resident Dajanique Weathers when asked whether she supported legalization of Internet gambling, "Gambling is just a little too much."

In the end, it will be up to lawmakers to make their case to the governor, who has said he's skeptical about the merits of online gambling. He said there are still too many questions.

On top that, he says there will be no gambling expansion until lawmakers can fix the state's nearly $100-billion pension crisis.

When it comes to the state's finances, nearly everyone we talked to could agree on that: Whether it's through expanded gambling - or another way - Illinois could definitely use some more money.

Despite his rejection of earlier gambling expansion proposals, Governor Quinn has signaled that he is more open to the idea now than ever before. He even mentioned it in his March budget address.

Last year, Illinois became the first state to sell lottery tickets online.



Illinois Gambling Expansion Proposal Would Legalize Internet Gam - KWQC-TV6 News and Weather For The Quad Cities -

Bachata crossover act Prince Royce has signed a recording deal with Sony Music Entertainment to release albums in Spanish through Sony Music Latin and in English through RCA Records.

Royce’s first Spanish-language album is due this fall and his English language debut is slated for 2014. Royce, initially signed by producer Sergio George, found great success with George’s indie label, Top Stop Music, and his eponymous debut was the top-selling Latin release of 2011, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Royce released his sophomore set, Phase II, last year.

But relations between Royce and Top Stop soured, with Top Stop eventually suing Prince Royce for breach of contract and Royce countersuing right back. The two parties settled last month, at which point Royce became a free agent and began shopping for a new record deal. Recording in English has always been part of the equation, as the 23-year-old Royce was raised in New York, and initial conversations had taken place between Top Stop and Atlantic before Royce parted ways with Top Stop.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to work with such a dynamic Latin artist on his first English album. Prince Royce’s early successes have paved the way for the next generation of Latin music and we are eager to join forces with our partners Sony Music Latin to fully maximize his music and career,” said Peter Edge, CEO of RCA Records, in a statement.

"Having Prince Royce join the Sony family is a dream come true,” added Afo Verde, Chairman and CEO, Latin Region, Spain and Portugal.

Royce, who just last month was one of two Songwriter of the year winners at the BMI Latin Music Awards, was recently announced as a coach on La Voz Kids, the Spanish-language, kiddie version of The Voice, slated to air on Telemundo this Spring. Royce is also a finalist for this year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Well i think that's great news.

Zynga has joined together with Bwin.party Digital Entertainment in order to launch its own real-money gambling apps. Zynga is keeping true to its promised made last July, when it said that it planned on launching an online gambling service this year. Right now, it’s only launching the apps in the United Kingdom, however, it plans on spreading its online gaming apps to more European markets later on this year.

The two apps that Zynga plans on releasing are called ‘ZyngaPlusPoker” and “ZyngaPlusCasino”. ZyngaPlusPoker is self-explanatory, but ZyngaPlusCasino brings you a variety of gambling games, including BlackJack and Roulette. The games will start off as web-based games, and desktop applications at first, but Zynga plans on integrating the apps into Facebook in the future as well.

Zynga hired the former Senior Executive of 888 Holdings PLC (an online gambling poewrhouse), Maytal Olsha, to help it branch into the real-money gambling world. Zynga believes that it will soon be able to tap into its 300 million users, and generate a potential $30 billion from its online gambling services (19.85 billion pounds). After announcing the launch of its online gambling apps, Zynga’s shares rose up 5.5%.

Zynga still has many legal hurdles to jump over in order to bring its real-money gambling apps to the United States, but it still plans on releasing its app in several states where online gambling isn’t illegal. Zynga’s Chief Revenue Officer, Barry Cottle, stated, “Our long term vision is to offer our players the next generation of real money games on multiple platforms in regulated markets worldwide.” It looks like those of us in the U.S. will have to wait a while before we get to gamble away our hard-earned money, but those of you in the UK can experience the joys of gambling starting tomorrow.



Zynga brings real-money gambling to the UK - SlashGear

Recent numbers highlight the extent of the growth in the UK online gambling sector since 2008. According to figures, the industry was worth an impressive £2 billion in 2012 - an 80% revenue growth since 2008 when £1.27 billion was recorded.

The largest share of the UK online gambling market is claimed by sports betting giant, William Hill, which currently holds a 15% share. Other groups, namely Ladbrokes, Betfair, Bet365 and the Irish sportsbook, Paddy Power, each hold 11% of the market share.

William Hill also dominates search volume on search engine Google, with 19.39%, followed by Paddy Power (10.86%) and Ladbrokes (10.70%). Bet365 has a 9.69% share of the search volume market. The largest sector of the UK online gambling market is undoubtedly sports betting, which makes up 44% of the total value of the industry.

Since 2008, thanks to advancements made in online and smart phone technology, sports betting has grown 102%. In 2012, this sector was estimated to be worth £1 billion.

Online casinos make up the second biggest sector of the market at 23%, with their value rising 79% since 2008.

Bingo, which is worth 17%, grew an impressive 155%, while poker grew by 8% to make up 15% of the UK online gambling market.
£2.1 Billion in Lost Revenues

But while the UK industry celebrates impressive growth since 2008, some analysts are examining the lost potential of literally billions of pounds in revenue due to the government's current policy of taxing UK based operators.

According to some figures, the government has lost £2.1 billion since it set the 15% tax rate, with operators choosing to base their online gambling operations outside of the country in white listed jurisdictions such as Gibraltar and Malta instead. It is estimated that over 2,500 operators have opted to take this route, leaving the government with much less revenues than it could potentially benefit from.

The government is now said to be mulling luring offshore online gambling companies back to Britain with lower tax rates.

"The proposals will ensure that British consumers enjoy consistent standards of protection, regardless of where a gambling business is based," noted the Minister for Sport and Tourism in the UK, Hugh Robertson.


80% Growth In UK Online Gambling Numbers - GamblingKingz-com

Tom Hanks impressed critics with his Broadway debut in Lucky Guy, Nora Ephron's final play, but the late Hollywood writer and director did not fare so well with her newsroom-set drama that opened on Monday night.

As tabloid journalist Mike McAlary, who won a Pulitzer Prize covering New York police scandals and lurid crimes for the Daily News and New York Post, Hanks rewards audiences "with a committed, generous performance by the real-deal star," Entertainment Weekly said.

The Hollywood Reporter said Hanks, a two-time Oscar winner already seen as a Tony award front-runner for his work in the play, "is not afraid to make the character an abrasive jerk, yet the actor's innate integrity ensures that we feel for Mike when he takes some hard knocks."

McAlary was a hard-drinking, hard-living reporter who died young, at 41, from cancer in 1998.

"Although he hasn't trod the boards in years, the affable movie star takes to the stage like a fish to water," Variety said about Hanks, whose stage acting had been limited to small Shakespeare productions in the 1970s.

But critics were less enthusiastic about Ephron's play.

"Although it's heartfelt, the show is a hodgepodge. Long-winded and overly linear, it skates along on a just-the-facts-ma'am surface like a typical TV movie," the Daily News said. The New York Post, where Ephron worked for several years early in her career in the 1960s, said, "The show springs from her deep affection for the trade and its ink-stained wretches."

It described the play as a fun, entertaining eulogy.

Like most, the New York Times liked Hanks' work more than the play itself.

"Hanks is always gamely and industriously present to act as an animated illustration for (McAlary's) tales," the newspaper said. "But he's not given much room to be more."

It added that the play "turns out to be little more than the sum of its anecdotes," and "often feels only newsprint deep," in contrast with Ephron's sharp film and essay writing.

Entertainment Weekly described the play as "inconsequential and dramatically inert" and a "dull, stalled play about a not-particularly-noteworthy mug with a flair for self-promotion."

The Hollywood Reporter gave the play a split decision, saying that while it was by no means exceptional drama and not exactly packed with complexity, it was "intelligently written, engrossing and laced with crackling humor."

Hanks had a long collaboration with Ephron, including hit films such as "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail." Ephron died in June at the age of 71 of complications from leukemia. Hanks and wife Rita Wilson spoke at her memorial service.

The reviews, in the end, could prove to be irrelevant. In its first week of previews, the play took in more $1 million, along the lines of hits such as "The Book of Mormon," "The Lion King" and "Wicked."

But critics noted that prospects outside New York, or without Hanks in the starring role, were uncertain. Ephron's 2002 Broadway play, "Imaginary Friends," closed after a short run.

On Wednesday, Zynga launched its online poker and casino games in the United Kingdom, the first proof that the company’s previously announced pivot away from social gaming and toward “real-money” gaming is for real.

Zynga now offers online poker, slot machines, blackjack, and other games. The company is partnering with bwin.party, the world’s largest publicly traded online gambling company, which reported a profit of over $32 million in 2012 and is based in Gibraltar, a British exclave bordering Spain.

“Launching the download and web versions of Zynga’s real money games for play in the UK is an exciting move to bring players the real money games they have been asking us for,” wrote Barry Cottle, the company’s chief revenue officer, on a company blog on Tuesday evening. “We look forward to launching our social versions of real money games for players on Facebook and mobile in the UK throughout 2013.”

Shareholders responded very positively: Zynga’s stock is up about 15 percent on the day. This new announcement and stock surge are some much-need positive news for the beleaguered social gaming company.
Zynga's roller coaster ride

Since August 2012, we’ve been tracking Zynga’s rapid fall. The company lost top managerial talent and its stock price plummeted,it acknowledged that it overpaid for OMGPOP, and it racked up quarterly losses to the tune of $52 million. In February 2013, the San Francisco startup announced it lost more than $200 million in 2012.

Analysts told Ars that the new British scheme would likely not impact Zynga’s bottom line in the immediate future, but it could set the stage for eventual expansion to the United States. Various states are moving ever-closer to legalizing and launching online gambling within state borders—New Jersey and Nevada are expected to be the first, with California, Illinois, and Delaware not far behind.

“It is a test, they know going in that there are a lot of reasons for it to work and a lot of reasons for it not to work,” Sean McGowan, an analyst with Needham & Co., told Ars.

“How many [Facebook users] will convert [to gambling online]? How sticky is it? How much testing is there? Those are the things you might be able to extrapolate to other markets.” After all, as we reported in February, Zynga filed a “preliminary finding of suitability” late last year with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the first step toward offering real-money gambling in the US.

"These are all steps that are moving us toward our long-term vision in real money games," the company's chief operating officer, David Ko, told investors in February 2013.
Still could be a couple of years before this bet pays out

Given the company’s recent setbacks, Zynga really needs a win—and if that comes via real people gambling real money, then all the better.

“There is still a stigma attached to gambling where some users are more prone to spend more real (or virtual) money so some caution is needed from Zynga and users to make sure users don't get into situations beyond their control,” Brian Blau, an industry analyst with Gartner Research, told Ars.

“But for users that just want to enjoy a few simple games of slots or poker, real money gaming is a way to get your fix, and with Zynga's games you can share your results, play with friends, and have a more social experience similar to what you would find a real world casino.”

James Cakmak, a financial analyst at the Telsey Advisory Group, generally agreed—and he was overall bullish on Zynga’s prospects over the longer-term.

“I think you're probably looking at 2014 or 2015 before [this move is] reflected in [Zynga's] bottom line,” he told Ars.

“I think it's a really good story right now, but I don't expect the bwin.party partnership to provide any meaningful contribution to the company's finances over near-term. The most important takeaway is going to be the knowledge that Zynga can leverage [online gambling] for the US.”


Zynga launches real-money online gambling, stock price surges | Ars Technica

Many online gambling affiliates are positioning themselves to enter the US online gambling landscape. The US has become a virtually untapped market due to the UIGEA and Black Friday. Some are anticipating a new gold rush in the US. There are some issues to consider.

There is one major difference between what the US online gambling market will look like and what the land grab of ten years ago was. That difference is the fact that existing brick and mortar gaming companies look to be the leaders in the US industry. This means that companies that already have large player databases will be operating online gambling businesses. This is a big change from when internet startups approached experienced marketers for their players when online poker first boomed.

Las Vegas casino companies and other regional operators will still need an internet presence. Affiliates can still fill the void that US casino companies will be unable to fill. It simply appears that the new US online gambling business will not fit the same mold that the past business does.

Brick and mortar casinos may not understand their new internet business in ways that affiliates with years of experience may. Some traditional casino companies are better at social media and internet marketing than others. One thing that is lacking in most cases is the content business.

There are few potential online poker companies that have created an internet presence for their future business. This could be troublesome for these companies. Many affiliates and other speculators are already creating holding pages that rank for poker room terms related to major casino companies. Few of the major casino brands have created online poker room or casinos pages. This is where affiliates will succeed.

While casinos have failed to plan ahead, affiliates have. Affiliates can offer websites that already rank for US online poker terms, state poker and even brands that are yet to be launched.

Nevada affiliates will require licensing if they share revenue with a licensed online poker room. The same appears to be true in other states that have considered or passed online gambling regulations.

One future online poker operator currently offers an affiliate program for its hotels. MGM Resorts allows website owners to promote their properties though this affiliate program. The commission rate is 3% of the hotel sale. Revenue from amenities or gambling is not included. Online gambling affiliates are accustomed to receiving 25-50% of revenue generated. Commissions may be higher but this may be a wakeup call that US online poker is not going to be as profitable as it is in other countries using the revenue share model.

Ways Around Affiliate Licensing

Regulated online poker rooms may move to a CPA model. This would mean that an affiliate would be paid for every player sent to the online poker room. While debatable, terms may have to exclude a player’s activity and rely solely on a player signing up or maybe making a deposit. Casinos already use this type of product with junket operators that bring them players in Nevada. The junket operators must register with the Nevada Gaming Control Board and have rights that affiliates that will advertise online poker will not have or want. This could mean the difference between needing a license or not.

One way around this is to sell banner space through a media buy agreement. This is done in traditional advertising from radio to television and is also common for more mainstream websites. This would also not require any type of licensing from gaming commissions.

Current Top Online Poker Affiliate Programs

The online poker affiliate business is already changing. PokerStars offers a watered down affiliate program with massive deductions from their revenue share agreements. Full Tilt Poker dropped their affiliate program at relaunch. Party Poker and bwin have shown contempt for their affiliate partners by changing terms retroactively. 888 offers a reputable affiliate program, but only pays CPA. Revenue share is not available at 888 as it was stopped years ago.

Lotteries Pay Affiliate Commissions to Vendors

State lotteries are the wild card here. Lotteries typically pay their affiliates 5% of the ticket sales. Most lottery affiliates are brick and mortar retailers that sell tickets. State lotteries have little experience with affiliate programs outside of retailers but that may change if they partner with experienced online poker operators, which is where Delaware is headed.

The new US regulated market will not be the gold mine that online poker has been in the past. The big advantage though will be that online poker rooms will be starting out with very few active players and a lot of competition. Marketing budgets will likely be large and publishers that produce unique content that ranks well for regulated online poker searches. Those sites will be valuable to US online gaming companies.

As a young man shouted and hit his computer table, interrupting the whirr from dozens of cooling fans at a large internet cafe in Beijing, few people moved their gaze away from their flashing screens. The frustrated gamer, perhaps annoyed because his character had been shot in one of the hugely popular online battles, lit a cigarette to calm himself.

White light from the other terminals illuminated the tired faces of dozens more customers.

"I throw people out if they stay for more than 24 hours," Ding Dan, the owner-manager of the internet cafe, told dpa.

Ding said she monitored everyone's time online from a central terminal. But some of the customers, who were mostly students and migrant workers, refused to leave.

"The men, especially, don't want to go," she said. "They play all the time and forget their families at home."

China has an estimated 560 million internet users, including about 450 million under 18, according to a government report last month.

More than 60 per cent of them are regular online gamers, the China Internet Network Information Centre said last year.

Experts believe tens of millions of Chinese people are addicted to the internet, many of them teenagers, with online gaming and gambling among the biggest lures.

Youngsters often seek refuge online because they find it hard to cope with China's intensively competitive school system, said Pi Yijun, a government expert on the protection of minors at the China University of Political Science and Law.

"In China, education is still exam-oriented, it leaves little time for after-school activities," Pi told dpa.

"Those who find it hard to adapt want to alleviate the pressure from study," he said.

Despite a ban on under-18s visiting internet cafes, many schoolchildren escape the clutches of their families by visiting them instead of using home computers.

Smart-phones and tablet computers made it easier for children to access the internet even during school hours, Pi said, but "the main problem still lies in education itself."

State media have highlighted the problem of addiction in several dramatic reports in recent months.

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy who confessed to poisoning his family with agricultural chemicals after his parents stopped him from playing online games in the south-western city of Ziyang last year.

In December, a local newspaper reported that a man in the northern province of Shaanxi hired online "assassins" to kill his 23-year-old son's characters in popular games.

The father reportedly wanted to push his son, who had played online games since his mid-teens, to try harder to find a job by making him lose interest in the games.

Another report last month featured an unemployed college graduate who had lived at a internet cafe in the north-eastern city of Changchun for up to six years, leaving each day to buy food and sometimes to take showers.

"His case is quite serious, but it is common among addicts," said Ding Jianlue, a psychologist at Jilin University in Changchun who met the young man living in the internet cafe.

"He is a young man who cannot find a job after graduation, so he chose to escape," Ding said.

Many Chinese adults, as well as juveniles, are addicted to the internet, he said.

"Housewives use the internet to kill time, university students have plenty of free time and they are willing to accept new things and are very easily attracted by online games," Ding said.

"As for new graduates, they suffer huge pressure from society, so they prefer to release the stress and escape from their cruel reality via the internet," he said.

In February, the Ministry of Culture and the National Internet Information Office announced plans to develop a framework for diagnosing and treating internet addiction this year.

The plan will prioritise interventions in juveniles' addiction to online gaming and strengthen supervision of game producers and internet cafes, state media said.

An earlier drive to tackle internet addiction began in 2008 when military doctors promoted voluntary, often commercial boot camps and treatments including drugs for juveniles.

A military hospital in Beijing agreed to stop using electric-shock therapy for internet addicts following a media outcry, while two camp instructors were jailed in 2010 after a 15-year-old was beaten to death in the southern region of Guangxi.

Pi and Ding both said the controversial military-style programmes were "very effective in the short-term," but most of those treated returned to the same addictive behaviour after their release.

The new government programme, expected to include family and group therapy, would be hampered by China's lack of psychiatrists and qualified counsellors, Ding said.


China aims to shield online addicts from games, gambling - Sowetan LIVE

The news spreads fast when the market is good or bad so within a few hours the word is out about Zynga and its debut of interactive games for real money in the U.K. Whenever anything like the introduction of a new comer in the online gambling industry hits the internet it is exciting to see how quick the reaction is. Zynga’s stock value has been in slow decline for a time now but rallied at the prospect of another type of client who likes to spend real money gaming with friends. The mega games developer announced the launch on the third of April of its ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino in partnership with the bwin.party group. Zynga stock went up 8 percent to $3.33 in afterhours trading after the announcement.

Chief Revenue Officer of Zynga, Barry Cottle, blogged a post, "We look forward to launching our social versions of real money games for players on Facebook and mobile in the UK throughout 2013," Age verified players can have real money gaming now in the United Kingdom but will have to wait until the government in the USA legalizes the pastime. ZyngaPlusPoker is an online poker room that will offer UK players a wide variety of games and tournaments with buy-ins at every level. The ZyngaPlusCasino offering brings players more than 160 slots games and a variety of table games to choose from that include Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat and Video Poker as well as the first-ever FarmVille themed slots game.

Zynga has been losing ground financially at an alarming rate so the introduction of real money gaming is expected to bolster revenues and expand the horizons for the innovative company. Later Zynga is expected to launch some of these offerings on Facebook and in other jurisdictions. Money processing for all the Zynga games is available through a one wallet system and there are start up bonuses and cash on deposit incentives.





United Kingdom Gets Zynga Online Gambling

Walt Disney Co plans to shut the 30-year-old LucasArts studio it inherited with the acquisition of George Lucas' film company last year, and focus on licensing its Star Wars brand externally, a spokesman said.

The closure will involve an unknown number of layoffs.

A "small team" will remain to handle licensing partnerships but all in-house development has been halted, including its much-anticipated title Star Wars 1313, said Miles Perkins, a spokesman for Lucasfilm.

Film producer, screenwriter and director George Lucas is best known as the creator of the Star Wars franchise. He sold Lucasfilm to Disney last October.

It is unclear how many people are employed by LucasArts.

The Lucasfilm spokesman declined to disclose the number of employees currently at LucasArts or those affected by the shutdown.

Disney, which last year announced it will pay $4.05 billion for Lucasfilm and has its own interactive games division, is several months into an internal cost-cutting review. The decision to shutter LucasArts comes as the developer and publisher, once known for humoUr-tinged adventure games like Secret of Monkey Island, has struggled in recent years to produce a hit in an industry increasingly dominated by action-oriented games.

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Zynga, on Wednesday, took the plunge into real-money gambling, and now offers poker and casino-style games in Britain in partnership with the company Bwin Party Digital Entertainment.
Zynga announced the launch on Tuesday, which marks the company's first venture into online gambling. According to Reuters, Zynga is hoping the move will reverse a steady decline in revenue as users have continue to move away from its older games for Facebook, such as "Farmville".
According to BusinessWeek, due to the move, Zynga's shares climbed 15%.
According to CNN, Zynga's chief revenue officer, Barry Cottle, said that the company's long term vision is to offer their players the next generation of games that involve real money, on multiple platforms in markets worldwide.
People can now play ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino games. Players will be able to access numerous poker games, slot machines and table games. One of the slot machines even has a Farmveille theme.


Zynga moves into Internet Gambling

Elray Resources, Inc. (OTCBB: ELRA), through its online gaming and turnkey solution subsidiary Elray Gaming, announced the launch of Elray Mobile to develop a host of mobile products and technologies for the mobile gaming sector.

The Company has launched Elray Mobile for the specific focus on developing and acquiring companies focused on both non-wagering and mobile casino technologies. According to a recent study carried out by mobile device experts Juniper Research, the mobile gambling market is anticipated to be worth more than $100 billion by 2017, which also revealed that mobile gaming is the fastest growing sector in the gambling market as a whole.

Recent Changes in US Gaming Laws

In past few months a number of states, such as Nevada and New Jersey, have implemented new laws making legal online gaming under certain requirements, with a number of other states currently considering relaxation of their current gaming laws as well. On the Federal level an online gaming bill to provide a set standard for the United States as a whole remains in committee, but these recent moves by the state indicates that a set standard in US gaming laws may not be to far off into the future.

Brian Goodman, the CEO of Elray Gaming commented, "With the industry naturally progressing towards mobile gaming, as seen recently with Zynga's announcement to enter the online and mobile gaming sector, it only made sense for Elray Gaming to position itself as a player in the social gaming and mobile casino industry, and will work to develop and acquire operating mobile gaming technology companies to expand its breath, and portfolio."

Share Structure

As of March 6, 2013, the Company had 14,035,037 common shares issued and outstanding.

About Elray Gaming

Elray Gaming provides a complete turnkey solution for numerous successful online gaming companies as well as performs strategic marketing and consulting services for Online Gaming operators from all parts of the world. While our US office is in New York, we are a global company with offices in London, Sydney and Curacao, homes of the largest online operators on the net, which helps us actively manage and serve our clients. Our sophisticated patented software automatically declines any gaming requests from within the United States, in strict compliance with current US law. Our Sydney office allows us to tap into skilled resources and some of the world's largest client base, for regular, personal interaction. As our active operations are in a jurisdiction that is friendly to online gaming, our clients can rest assured that we are here to stay. Elray Gaming - A consulting and marketing firm and Home.

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities, and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Company's periodic filings with the Security and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.




Elray Gaming to Develop Mobile Technologies for Online Gaming Sector

The Soaring Eagle Casino is planning a new website that won't take bets for money unless Congress changes restrictions on online gambling.

The casino's marketing director Raul Venegas tells the Morning Sun of Mount Pleasant that the website will be for marketing and fun.

Venegas says the casino has "no intentions to offer real money gaming online, but people can play for free."

Aristocrat Technologies Inc. recently announced that it would develop the online casino site for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's casino. The site is expected to offer virtual versions of electronic games as well as some versions of table games.

The tribe has the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in the Mount Pleasant area.

The online gambling industry has done very well in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and sectors of Europe and now Scandinavia has made a lasting impression on the punter. Recently the countries on Denmark and soon Sweden have developed regulatory platforms for online gambling that in the case of Denmark has been tested and used to establish the weak points and correct the possible issues associated with regulatory compliance. Sweden is on its way to regulating and licensing the online gambling industry in that jurisdiction.

The National Audit Office had studied Sweden’s gambling market and recommended a platform and regime they consider the most practical direction the government should adhere to. The new system for regulating the online gambling activity has been approved by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance with the Swedish Tax Agency already implementing a new additional levy on software developers for internet wagering. Denmark’s experience has proven invaluable to other jurisdictions legalizing their online gambling endeavours.

Denmark concluded its first year of internet wagering business with stunning results that were very positive. The results of the evaluation period were indeed so positive that The Danish Gambling Authority extended the validity period of the initial group of online gambling licence holders for an extra five years. You can choose from five local and twenty offshore online gambling operators legally. Nine smaller operators will be issued licences that limits their gross gambling revenue income as the only difference. Fairness is the Danish Gambling Authority’s main objective and that has been realized.

The Head of the Legal Division at the Danish Gambling Authority, Tina R. Olsen, has commented that illegal ad unlicensed gambling operators are gone from the Danish jurisdiction. The monitoring of the market in Denmark and the crackdown on illegal unlicensed operators has prompted them to leave the market in Denmark. Internet Service providers complied with the law and blocked online gambling sites that were not registered with the authorities.



Denmark Successful in Legalizing Online Gambling

The following exchange was aired on the April 2 edition of Entertainment Tonight:


ROSCI DIAZ: Jackie's [Kennedy] portrait still hangs on a wall inside the White House. The First Lady's style often gets compared to hers. Of course Michelle deflects all the attention on to her husband. What do you think about your husband looked upon as a sex symbol?

MICHELLE OBAMA: He's got a little swag. You know? That's, that's okay. I mean I'm proud of him. But no he's, he's, he's a stylish - I think - man who is healthy and he's smart and he's passionate and he's inspiring and who wouldn't fall in love with that? You know?

ROB MARCIANO: Aww, that's sweet.

DIAZ: And you know what I love about it? Was the First Lady saying our president has swag.

MARCIANO: First Lady can say that. Great interview Rosci.

While Diaz is an entertainment reporter it’s hard to tell the difference between the way she talks about Barack Obama from the way supposedly hard-hitting political journalists like Chris “thrill up my leg” Matthews and Piers “Obama is handsome” Morgan have described the President. "When you watch the President like that, I always feel he's got so many pluses, doesn't he? In a sense, he's personable, he's handsome, he can be funny. You know, abroad he has this great image for America. A lot of things are just perfect about Barack Obama."
— Host Piers Morgan to Obama strategist David Axelrod on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, December 5, 2011. "I have to tell you, you know, it's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often" — Chris Matthews during MSNBC live Democratic primary coverage on February 12, 2008.