Let your mouth speak archive

The new tax proposals in the United Kingdom regarding online gambling are causing those who will have to pay the piper a great deal of anxiousness. The bottom line is what the online gambling industry is all about and a tax hike of any measure instantly causes stress to the operators who will, as everyone has guessed by now pass the expense on to the consumer.
The Remote Gambling Association has commissioned a report by the international auditing firm KPMG. The report claims the U.K.’s new tax regime for online gambling companies will fail to achieve the intended goal unless gross profits are taxed at less than 10 percent and operators are given some room to differ costs associated with bonuses and incentives.

The KPMG report said, “Rather than undertake a comprehensive review of the tax regime, the Treasury has made minor changes to the current regime and has merely focused instead on extending its application to operators in other jurisdictions who transact with British residents”
The report is completely against the proposed 15 percent tax on online gambling products.

The Chief Executive Officer of the RGA, Clive Hawkswood commented on the results of the KPMG findings, "It is vitally important that the Government does not repeat past mistakes. It needs instead to set rates of remote gaming and betting taxation that give operators a realistic chance of being competitive in what is an inherently international market.” Hawkswood continued, "This is a challenging time for the industry and we will continue to engage with Treasury to ensure the impact of any tax changes is fully understood by the Government. The online gambling industry is a UK success story and already contributes significantly to UK Plc in terms of jobs, marketing spend and corporate taxes. We do not want to see the Government's plans put these companies and their investments in jeopardy. We argue strongly that any rate above 10 percent GPT is not sustainable in what is a very mature market where consumers already know what level of value and choice to expect.”




U.K. Online Gambling Tax Jeopardizes Industry KPMG Report

Earlier this year, New Jersey gaming officials set their sights on Nov. 26 as the starting date for online gaming. Since then, the licensed casinos have been jockeying with each other in selecting experienced partners with the background and technology to launch what will be the country’s only state to offer a full slate of live money games.

Last week, as the AP’s Wayne Parry reported, the state retains its Nov. 26 focus but without announcing it as the official starting date.

A spokesperson for the Division of Gaming Enforcement said it had received additional information it had requested from the casinos and were evaluating their applications for online gambling.

Said spokesperson Lisa Spengler: “The division can confirm that it has received a significant amount of additional materials from the casinos’ licensees on behalf of their Internet gaming applications. The division remains comitted to meeting the statutory deadline of Nov. 26.”

However, should problems prevent a Nov. 26 startup, an extension can be granted, officials said.

Since the law requires that Internet gaming operators have partnerships with licensed casinos, nearly three dozen systems operators applied for licenses, but only a dozen will be successful in forming a partnership.

So far, the lineup of properties and their partners include: The four Caesars properties linked with 888 Holdings; the Borgata with bwin.party; the Tropicana with Gamesys Limited; Resorts with PokerStars; the Taj Mahal with Ultimate Gaming and Trump Plaza with Betfair.

Operating on its own program, using the system provided by Bally Technologies Inc., will be the Golden Nugget.

Still to be announced are Revel and the Atlantic Club casinos.



New Jersey online gambling still on for November :: GamingToday-com

LD will produce and finance the pic with Mickey Liddell and Patrick Aiello producing through the banner.

The story tells of the first 40 days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ through the eyes of an agnostic Roman Centurion charged by Pontius Pilot to investigate rumors of a risen Jewish messiah and locate the missing deceased body of Jesus of Nazareth in order to subdue an imminent uprising in Jerusalem.

Paul Aiello penned the script. Karen Janszen and Reynolds also did work on the script.

LD is eying a March 2015 release to coincide with the Easter holiday.

The WME-repped Reynolds most recently helmed the History Channel mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys” starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton.

I did not know there is gambling industry in Gibraltar...

The online gambling industry works on some tight margins so the move to Gibraltar was good move for many operators form the U.K. Now Gibraltar is attracting other investments the small enclave has become a destination for many looking for the safe tax haven that Gibraltar is providing.
The attraction the area of only a few miles square on the southern tip of Spain has is superior to some other overly taxed locations.
The attractions in Gibraltar isn’t always a high paying job with a firm such as Bwin.party digital entertainment or 888 Holdings in the online gambling sector it could be the sunshine. it’s possible to ski at Sierra Nevada, Europe’s most southerly ski area a 2.5 hour drive away in Spain, and be on a Mediterranean beach by the afternoon. “Quality of life is very good down here,” Andrew McGrath, 37, founder and chief investment officer of Burren Capital Advisors Ltd. commented. “It’s a safe environment to bring up a family. Our offices are just minutes from an airport with good international links.”

Gibraltar, whose economy was once based on the British military installation and on secret bank accounts of companies that couldn’t be traced from abroad, has made new tax information exchange arrangements with 39 countries. This is good news for the economy which has been attracting solid reputable businesses such as fund management firms.
The safety factor is what is drawing in the legitimate industries. Driving home the point that things have changed in Gibraltar, James Tipping, Director of the Finance Centre Department said, “The old business model doesn’t work anymore,” adding, “Tax evasion is a crime.”
There are 28 registered gambling companies in Gibraltar that each pay licensing fees and tax albeit the tax is much lower than some other jurisdictions. Gibraltar looks like it’s going to be financially sound for some time yet, you can almost bet on it.



Gibraltar's Online Gambling Industry Not the Only Attraction

Georgia-based Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. has acquired Harlem Globetrotters International Inc. from Shamrock Capital Advisors.

Terms of the deal were not revealed.

Herschend, based in Norcross, Ga., is a family-owned company that owns and operates 26 theme parks, aquariums and other attractions nationwide. Among its operations is a partnership with country singing star Dolly Parton for Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country in Tennessee. It also is an operating partner of Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, and owner of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. Founded by the Herschend family 50 years ago, the company also owns Newport Aquariums in New Jersey and Kentucky, and Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga.

The Phoenix-based Globetrotters have provided basketball hilarity to audiences since 1926, performing 25,000 "games" around the globe. Currently, the Globetrotters display their antics in about 400 games per year.

Shamrock Capital Advisors, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, purchased the Globetrotters in 2005 and reportedly had been shopping the team in recent months. The Los Angeles Business Journal in June listed the proposed price as anywhere from $50 million to $100 million.

Joel Manby, president and CEO of Herschend, said the Globetrotters fit perfectly in the company's family-oriented operations.

"The team is coming off its best touring year ever, and this acquisition helps HFE diversify into a new but complementary business," Manby said in a statement announcing the sale. "Becoming the new owners of this legendary team is a natural step as HFE continues to develop wholesome, immersive entertainment that parents can trust -- entertainment that brings families together."

Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider said the team's brand "is hotter than ever."

Herschend said that the Globetrotters' management team and roster would remain in place. The Globetrotters have about 90 employees.



Harlem Globetrotters acquired by Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. - ESPN

Hello everyone,,,
I'm a new member here and wishes good luck to all fellow members
thanks

Welcome to ixgames!!

The proliferation of online gaming has already begun. New Jersey has already passed a bill allowing internet betting to begin by 2014. Nevada did likewise, and it's easy to assume other states will follow. Gamblers can't seem to wait--a recent report by British-based research firm H2 Gambling Capital found that Americans spent $2.6 billion gambling online in 2012, despite its questionable legal status.

Casino companies are an obvious choice when looking to play this trend. They will likely be the known face of mobile gaming, given their reputation and marketing savvy. But, while casinos will have the highest profiles, gambling equipment vendors might be equally attractive investments. These firms could gain significantly from online gaming, and they are already well positioned in the industry. Most already have some experience with interactive gambling and own stables of popular and familiar games of chance. They also have the technological aptitude and, since many hold online licenses, the legal authority to quickly make these games live over the internet.

Checking out the equipment makers
With so much to offer, the gaming equipment companies seem to be worth a look. For instance, International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT ) , a leader in the industry with over $2 billion in 2012 revenues, is positioned nicely thanks to its experience with DoubleDown Casino. DoubleDown, a $700 million corporate acquisition made in 2012, is the company's popular online social gaming venue.

International Game's social gambling business is booming. Sales more than doubled in its latest quarter versus the prior year. The growth driven by an increased average take from a growing Daily Average User, or DAU, base. DAUs were a substantial 1.7 million, an increase of 25% over 2012 volumes.

The company also has other attractive attributes, which were well explained by CEO Patti Hart in this recent interview with CNBC celebrity analyst Jim Cramer.

International Game shares look reasonably priced. Using a cash earnings times a capitalization multiplier valuation method, the company's fair business value looks to be around $22 a share (assuming revenues of $2.3 billion and $368 million in cash earnings at a 16% profit margin and an industry average 16 times multiple).

Bally Technologies (NYSE: BYI ) is another well-respected casino equipment maker. The company already has online capability with its server product, which allows access to an entire library of games and currently operates on eight portals and 16 sites in Europe. Bally is looking for additional advantages from its $1.3 billion acquisition of SHFL entertainment, a well-known provider of automatic card shufflers.

SHFL's lesser-known electronic table systems business could provide Bally with interesting opportunities. The most innovative might be an electronic betting interface that lets gamblers interact with a live dealer and live cards or a live wheel. This provides a "real" casino feel with the convenience of Internet access. For markets where live table games are not permitted, SHFL also offers products that feature a virtual dealer.

The stock market seems to be pricing Bally a bit optimistically given its reasonable fair value of roughly $70 per share. The figure is based on a standard multiple of 16 times earnings of around $176 million, on sales of $997 million and a 17.7% profit margin. One might also want to be somewhat cautious given that the company seemed to pay a hefty price for SHFL--nearly 28 times estimated cash earnings of $46 million delivered at a 15.5% margin.

Scientific Games (NASDAQ: SGMS ) might be the most interesting equipment vendor. Known mostly as a leading supplier of lottery equipment and systems, the company has been expanding into video gaming. Growing as a supplier of gambling content and systems to operators in the U.K. and continental Europe, it acquired Parspro.com for about $12 million in mid-2012. Parspro gives Scientific Games access to sports betting systems delivered through the internet.

The company's biggest play seems to be its acquisition of longtime casino equipment vendor WMS Industries. This $1.5 billion purchase provides access into the heart of the gaming industry. One of the deal's benefits is an interactive product called Play4Fun Network that seamlessly links players online to a casino's land-based games. A more lucrative prize might be WMS' Jackpot Party Social Casino, a social gaming site available through mobile devices. WMS' growth in social gaming has been impressive, with Jackpot Party Social Casino's DAUs increasing over 35% sequentially thus far in the September quarter.

Scientific Games' buyout of WMS looks like it could pay off for shareholders. Based on a combined pro forma estimate, including higher debt interest expenses and some synergistic savings, Scientific Games' reasonable business value looks to be around $30 a share. This assumes the standard 16 times multiple, with expected revenues of $1.63 billion and $160 million in cash earnings at a 9.8% profit margin.

One needs to tread cautiously, however. The potential upside is tempered by a significant risk from the $1.5 billion WMS deal price placed atop an already high debt load. In most cases, it would be prudent to pass on this kind of leverage. But the participation of Ronald Perelman gives some comfort. Though not as well known as some of his 1980's raider peers, Mr. Perelman has shown an adroit ability to manage high debt situations successfully. His 38% stake in Scientific Games and Board of Directors seat diminishes my debt-level anxiety somewhat.

Online gaming will likely become very popular. As the industry is getting ready to take advantage of the new trend, investors may also want to position themselves in companies that could offer a good chance to profit from this new market. Casinos seem an obvious choice but other ancillary players, like equipment vendors, might be an equally wort

The online gambling business has turned a corner with the introduction of social media gaming. The potential size of the market is enormous and many consider the opportunity to offer online gambling for real money on social networks something worth pursuing.
Facebook and Zynga, the mobile social game developer parted ways a little while ago and Zynga has lost 61% of its value but some consider it is still too expensive. ZNGA is competing in an immature market where the barriers to entry are almost nonexistent and brand loyalty is a foreign concept. Saddled with hidden problems in its financial house the company has once again made a crucial decision in regards to the market in the USA.

The company has made a formal withdrawal of its license application for an interactive gaming license in the state of Nevada. Zynga’s management finally realized they cannot rely on brand loyalty or build long-term franchises in the fickle world of mobile gaming.

The requirement to constantly produce original games to keep in the gaming loop without any guarantee the games will see success. The newest kid on the block mobile developer King and its game Candy Crush Saga is the top grossing game on Facebook. Everyone knows that Zynga is not currently making money and the decision to pull away from the US market may be a prudent one.
Analyst’ revenue projections for Zynga in 2013 and 2014, are very bleak so investors should be cautious when looking at the current price that is extremely low compared to the original IPO but have gone up 60 percent in the last year.

Factors leading to the withdrawal from the American market in Nevada are just a few compared to the creative financial position the company has presented. Value is determined by the market conditions with some companies stuck in old ways with old business models that in new situations just don’t cut it.


Zynga's US Online Gambling Bid Withdrawn

U.S. casinos are seizing on a Justin Timberlake movie about the perils of unregulated online gambling to revive the industry’s stalled attempt to legalize Internet poker nationwide.

“Runner Runner,” from Twentieth Century Fox, opens tomorrow and stars Timberlake as a Princeton University grad student who believes he’s been swindled after gambling away his tuition money. The American Gaming Association, with members Caesars Entertainment Corp. (CZR) and MGM Resorts International (MGM), bought ads on Google, Facebook, Twitter and Imdb-com, the film website, calling for a national law. The message: If you bet on the Web, you risk losing your shirt to unregulated operators.

“Online gambling is here. It’s happening,” the ad reads, as ominous music plays in the background. “Let’s create a regulated market in the U.S. that keeps the bad guys out and lets players play ... safely.”

By highlighting the dangers of Internet wagering, the industry seeks to rekindle legislation that would let it dominate in the U.S. The group has backed measures that would at first grant only existing casinos rights to offer online gambling. They have also backed language that would limit online play to poker, protecting their more-profitable blackjack, roulette and slot-machine businesses in casinos.

New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware have already legalized online gambling for residents and visitors. So far, that has resulted in a patchwork of rules and no betting across state lines. A federal law would protect consumers, prevent underage gambling, help people with gambling problems and regulate Indian casinos, the group said on its website.
‘Smoke-Filled’

Illegal offshore gambling websites took in roughly $2.6 billion from U.S. players last year, according to Geoff Freeman, president of the American Gaming Association, which represents the $37 billion industry. The business lacks proper oversight, he said.

The association’s online media campaign is designed to get online players to push Congressional representatives for federal legislation, Freeman said.

“Washington is changing,” Freeman said in an interview. “There’s less negotiating in the dark of night in smoke-filled rooms. We have to take other approaches.”

Casinos have lobbied unsuccessfully for a U.S. online poker law. With two bills stalled, the group took a campaign-style approach to raising awareness, buying ads that pop up when people search for “Runner Runner,” Freeman said.
‘Engage Players’

“The time has come for the association to be more proactive, more zealous in telling our story,” Freeman said at a press event last week in Las Vegas. “We’re going to engage players.”

Fox, a unit of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox Inc. (FOXA), declined to comment on the gaming association’s advocacy.

“Runner Runner” cost about $30 million to make, according to a person with knowledge of the situation -- a sum that doesn’t include marketing expenses. It’s projected to take in $11 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office this weekend, the estimate of Boxoffice-com.

In the film, Timberlake travels to Costa Rica to confront an online gambling tycoon played by Ben Affleck. He’s also pressured to cooperate with FBI agents.

Receipts, typically split with movie theaters, are projected to reach $32 million for the film’s domestic theater run, according to Boxoffice-com. “Runner Runner” has generated about $11.2 million in overseas markets since Sept. 25, according to Box Office Mojo.
Weekend Movies

The film will go head-to-head with “Gravity,” a Warner Bros. science-fiction thriller with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

Films and TV have helped the gambling industry before. “Rounders,” the 1998 Miramax film featuring Matt Damon, along with the televised “World Series of Poker,” contributed to a rise in the popularity of poker, especially Texas Hold ’Em. “Runner Runner” writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman also wrote “Rounders.”

The term “runner runner” refers to a situation in which a poker player needs specific, consecutive cards to win a hand. The film’s fictional account of a lawless online poker world is “not far from reality for millions of Americans,” Freeman said at the Global Gaming Expo trade show last week.

The trade association didn’t play a role in the making of “Runner Runner” and only became aware of it when an ad for the picture appeared online in July, according to Freeman.

The association contacted the film’s marketing team, which wasn’t interested in participating in an advocacy campaign, Freeman said. Leonardo DiCaprio is among the producers, according to IMDB-com.

The association’s ad, available at the website American Gaming Association - Runner Runner, says illegal offshore gambling sites lack safeguards against cheating, money-laundering and underage gambling. It argues for national regulation, referring viewers to the website of the AGA, whose members include most major U.S. casino owners.

“We were defensive,” Freeman said. “We will be zealous in talking about the economic dangers created by $2.6 billion in illegal play.”



Casinos Co-Opt Timberlake Movie in Push for Online Poker - Bloomberg

In Brad Furman’s new film Runner Runner, starring Justin Timberlake and Anthony Mackie, the romantic notion of the American dream is expressed through the machinations of what Furman calls the “new American dream,” — the lavish life of the online gambling world.

“The American dream used to be about being rich and famous, but now it’s to become rich and famous — as quickly as possible,” Timberlake said in an interview. “People are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel, and things are moving at warp speed. It’s cutthroat. It’s very cerebral and less about integrity, pride or honor, or any moral values.”

Runner Runner tells the story of Princeton grad student Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake) who, after playing an online poker game, goes bust. Believing he’s been conned, Richie travels to Costa Rica to confront the online gambling mogul Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Confronting Block only leaves Richie seduced by Block’s promise of immense wealth, until he learns the truth about Block’s benefactor. When FBI Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) tries to coerce Richie into helping bring Block and his associates down, Richie attempts to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.

If one were to put a mirror up to the audience’s faces, the reflection would probably look like the character Richie. The young generation of the film’s desired demographics are involved in everything from illegally downloading movies and music to Internet gambling, while supporting hacker groups such as Anonymous. Runner Runner suggests this generation believes that the rule of law has no place in the online world. Instead, they look to the supposed leaders in the business world who take shortcuts that are morally suspect — if not illegal — and tell themselves, “If they can do it, then so can I.”

“With [Runner Runner], it’s so bright and beautiful [and] you really give your character the opportunity to really go as far as they can into the world they live in without becoming superficial or unbelievable.” Mackie said. “You can track the characters and put yourself in their position throughout [Runner Runner].”

While working on Runner Runner, Timberlake and Mackie both saw the positives of portraying their respective characters. The actors, in different ways, found something rewarding through their filming experiences and working with each other.

“I loved the idea of Richie, this character who’s a good guy, he’s trying to do the right thing but he’s got himself into a hole,” Timberlake said. “It’s kind of the idea of trying to dig yourself out of a hole, but you just keep digging yourself deeper and deeper into that hole. You know, I identify with a lot of things about him.”

Mackie found his portrayal of Agent Shavers just as rewarding, but his gratifying experience comes from acting with his co-star as well as playing the nontraditional black role.

“For me, it was more so I enjoyed the ability to really just push Justin around,” Mackie said. “My character is such a bully in this movie, and I’m never given the opportunity to grow out my facial hair and look crazy and sweaty and smack up white dudes. So when I’m given that opportunity, I go for that 100 percent.”

Working with Mackie, Timberlake also saw the advantages of working with characters with complex relationships.

Runner Runner ultimately gave the chance for both Timberlake and Mackie to grow as actors. From working with Oscar winner Ben Affleck to the detailed technicalities of the script, both actors took their experience working with each other seriously and that is what will ultimately show on the screen.

“I learned so much because when you’re running down hallways and doing all that crazy stuff it’s so easy — like we’re hanging [Justin] out of a building two stories in the air, we literally could have dropped him on his head,” Mackie said. “You know, there’s just so much stuff going on that if you’ve never experienced that as an actor you kind of have to roll with the flow.”

Similarly, Timberlake found value in the way the film’s characters were written.

“What I like about every character is that in a movie like this it could easily be in a way, ‘genrefied,’” Timberlake said. “It could easily become cliché … What I love about how this was written, not only is my character intelligent, but Ben’s character is intelligent, Anthony’s character is intelligent, Gemma [Arterton]’s character is intelligent. You know, it just elevates the material.”

With a story such as Runner Runner, the importance lies in what the audience gets out of the film and how the audience reacts to the action being portrayed onscreen. Timberlake notes that in his job as an actor he had to come to the realization of what’s being spoken though the film.

“I didn’t realize that online gaming was so huge, and I didn’t realize that so much money was being generated from it down in Costa Rica,” Timberlake said. “So, the more I learned about the world … It felt very fresh, this movie, because you felt like you were making a movie about something that was happening right now.”



The film Runner Runner opens in theaters today.




- See more at: Runner explores online gambling world | Daily Trojan

Internet gambling is here to stay. Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey recently legalized Internet gambling, while at least a dozen additional states are considering joining the action. There are also millions of Americans throughout the country who can and do participate in all forms of Internet gambling every day in an unregulated, uncontrolled environment ruled by offshore operators who ignore U.S. laws. The big question remaining unanswered is whether all forms of Internet gambling are going to be properly regulated at the federal level, or will we end up with a patchwork of inconsistent state laws that fail to protect every American.

Recently, the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection held a hearing on the issue. Reflecting the sentiment of panel colleagues, Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) said he intended to collaborate with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on legislation to regulate this rapidly-growing industry.

“Patchwork state and tribal regulations have sparked a regulatory race to the bottom,” Heller said. “Congress needs to provide clarity and guidance on these issues. If we do not, this illegal market will continue to grow where millions of consumers are put at risk and criminals can act freely.”

I agree wholeheartedly. But more importantly, I know from first-hand experience that it is possible to regulate Internet gambling in a way that prevents criminals or terrorists from laundering money and protects consumers from fraud.

Money laundering is a clear risk that needs to be addressed. The potential size of the Internet gambling market — and the discrepancies in how it is regulated and policed — is a lure for those who want to cleanse illegal monies, and evade taxes and currency controls.

This risk can be controlled when financial institutions, in partnership with licensed operators, are required to vet origins of transactions, track cross-border movement, report suspicious as well as large transactions and deploy secure financial processing technologies. In fact, the capacity to implement these controls is greater in Internet gambling than it is in other forms of e-commerce and certainly land-based casinos where cash is often king and customer identities can go unknown.

Only carefully-crafted federal regulation can mandate a safe and secure system. And a key to making this work is the use of credit cards within a regulated industry.

The experience of my firm in providing protective frameworks for financial transactions, such as those used in Internet gambling in regulated European jurisdictions, makes clear that credit cards are essential to curtailing money laundering because financial institutions vet money sources that service those credit card accounts.

In fact, while working in Europe, I did not see even one instance of money laundering associated with regulated Internet gambling.

That’s why it’s troubling that Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) has introduced legislation banning the use of credit cards for Internet gambling, expressing a fear that individuals could go into debt to make wagers. This understandable concern is misplaced. Anyone can get a cash advance from their credit card to fund debit and prepaid cards. And no other form of financial transaction comes close to the security offered by credit cards.

In addition to credit cards, sound federal regulation should include:

➢ Operator vetting, to ensure licensed gambling operators, money invested in the business and the systems they use fully comply with all regulations. Gambling software providers should also be subject to strict licensing and testing processes to ensure their games cannot be rigged and that fair play exists. And all individuals investing or involved in the running of an Internet gambling business should be thoroughly vetted.

➢ Player vetting, so that those wishing to gamble undergo a similarly rigorous application process as is required when opening a bank account. Operators should also be required to verify the identity of each player whenever they go online and to ensure they are in a legal jurisdiction. These requirements are also essential for rooting out underage and problem gambling.

➢ Financial transaction oversight. The formalized account relationship between the player and Internet gambling operator in the registration and verification process, combined with the online environment, makes it easier to maintain oversight of all financial activities. Operators can also impose a valuable safeguard by capping the amount players can deposit or withdraw at any one time.

The bottom line is that when you have sensible regulations such as these, which are the basis of legislation introduced by Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), there is no question we can have a healthy Internet gambling industry where fraud and other illegal activities are properly policed.

Read more: Time for law and order in Internet gambling - The Hill's Congress Blog
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook

EMerchantPay Group, the trusted global leader in international payment processing for e-commerce, alternative solutions, recurring bill payments, virtual terminals and more announced today new appointments in the gaming vertical - Christian van Biezen is the Global Business Development Manager Video Gaming and Jeffrey van der Meer is the Global Business Development Manager Gambling & Forex.

How they approach the business and attract the new merchants soon to come?
Christian and Jeffrey talk about it:

How did you get into the payments business?

Christian: Back in Aug 2011 when I started working for another well-established international payment provider.

Jeffrey: More than four years ago I started my career in the payments industry at a global acquirer. After two successful years at Payvision I decided to work for another acquirer with focus on the European market.

What in your background prepared you for what you are doing now?

Christian: My new acquisition and relationship management skills will help me in achieving success. The amount of knowledge about the trends and needs within the Video Gaming industry will help me to be successful at eMerchantPay.

Jeffrey: My passion for online payments in the Gambling and Forex industries and their impact on the international online payment arena. I gained the experience, the strong international network and a lot of friends in this business and that's my greatest asset.

What attracted you to work for eMerchantPay?

Christian: eMerchantPay is an innovative and flexible company - next to being a one-stop-shop, eMerchantPay gives a merchant the advice, the support and the relationship they really need in order to establish a long-term, transparent, honest and successful partnership.

Jeffrey: eMerchantPay offers a global processing solution with local payments coverage on an international scale, and all this with one easy technical integration.

What are the top 5 features of eMerchantPay to make its solution suitable for the online gaming industry?

Christian: Fraud tool, stable platform, sharp acquiring fees, offering globally local payment methods and 24/7 support with any commercial or technical requirement/question/need a merchant has.

Jeffrey: In the online gaming industry businesses perform around the clock. With eMerchantPay they get a reliable and secure solution, a full range of global payment options, the best fraud tools, and also excellent service and competitive pricing.

What are the top 3 actions in your sales strategy?

Christian: Letting my network know about the great products and services eMerchantPay has to offer on a global scale. I know what they really need in this demanding and very competitive e-commerce world and therefore I am confident I can establish new business opportunities with start-ups and well-known and established merchants.

Jeffrey: My responsibility is to offer a tailor-made solution for each individual merchant and to make sure my clients get the highest return on investments. With the online payments and services of eMerchantPay I can facilitate that.

About eMerchantPay

eMerchantPay is the trusted global leader for international online payment processing gateway services, with merchant customers in over 40 countries across the globe. Innovative payment solutions offering processing in more than 150 currencies and various languages, plus dedicated account managers providing personal service that is second-to-none make international online payment processing easy, convenient and affordable. Quality, long-term, global banking relationships, plus in-house risk liability and accountability enable eMerchantPay to offer merchant accounts to businesses of all types and sizes, even in high risk situations where approval has previously not been secured.

Founded in 2002, the eMerchantPay Group is a privately held corporation headquartered in Europe with offices in Boca Raton, Fla., the United Kingdom and Sofia, Bulgaria. eMerchantPay Corporation is a member of the Electronic Transactions Association. eMerchantPay Limited is registered as a Payment Institution with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA United Kingdom). The Group's operations in Bulgaria are ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 27001:2005 certified by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) and its gateway and solutions are Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Level I compliant.



eMerchantPay Presents New Team on the Online Gaming Arena

Madonna has revealed she was raped at the start of her career.

The pop legend has opened up about her traumatic ordeal for the first time in nearly two decades, revealing she was sexually abused by a stranger at knifepoint shortly after arriving in New York City from Rochester, Michigan, to pursue her dreams of stardom.

Writing in the November issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine, the 55-year-old singer recalled: "New York wasn't everything I thought it would be. It did not welcome me with open arms. The first year, I was held up at gunpoint. Raped on the roof of a building I was dragged up to with a knife in my back.

"I had my apartment broken into three times. I don't know why; I had nothing of value after they took my radio the first time."

The Like a Prayer singer was determined to survive in the Big Apple in spite of her terrible experiences and was all the more "hell-bent" on making a name for herself, even if it meant doing jobs she didn't like.

Madonna explained: "Arriving in New York wasn't anything I prepared for. Trying to be a professional dancer, paying my rent by posing nude for art classes, staring at people staring at me naked. Daring them to think of me as anything but a form they were trying to capture with their pencils and charcoal.

"I was defiant. Hell-bent on surviving. On making it. But it was hard and it was lonely, and I had to dare myself every day to keep going."

The superstar first made the shocking admission she had been raped when she was younger in a 1995 interview with NME, but hasn't dwelled upon it since.

She confessed at the time: "It is not an experience I would ever glamorize. Although it was devastating at the time, I know that it made me a much stronger person. . . . It forced me to be a survivor."

The average woman uses about 168 separate ingredients in her cosmetics everyday to stay good-looking
Over 300,000 pairs of breasts are augmented every year in the United States
It's becoming more difficult to convince women to get married, as the average age of women walking down the aisle has increased to 27 from 23 in 1990
It takes 12 beauty and personal care products a day to make a woman feel that she looks her best
Women spend more money on facial and skin care than on products for body bits that are hidden


In the US, Do Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?

Last month, we shared an analysis of votes in our Sexiest Woman Alive category evaluating whether gentlemen prefer blondes. The overall answer was that globally men prefer brunettes but a slim 50.1% margin. But, the U.S. diverged from the global average and voters preferred blondes 50.9% of the time. The U.S. story gets more interesting, however, if we drill down to a state level. When we look at individual states, there is more parity: 21 states show a preference for blondes, 18 prefer brunettes, and 7 prefer redheads. Meanwhile 4 states have no clear winner between blondes, brunettes, and redheads.



Around the World, Do Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?

“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is a well worn expression that has featured as the title of a novel, musical, and – most famously – film starring Marilyn Monroe. We looked into our CrowdRank community’s 14 million votes to test the truth behind the cliche. CrowdRank community members vote on paired contests between two choices. We analyzed our Sexiest Woman Alive category, evaluating at all contests pairing women with differing hair colors: blondes vs. brunettes; blondes vs. redheads; and redheads vs. brunettes.

Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings has quietly carved out an extra-large share of the neophyte U.S. online gaming market.

The company, one of the largest operators in legal European Internet gaming jurisdictions, has deals to operate interactive gaming platforms — the technology to house the online gambling websites — in all three states where the activity is legal: Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware.

As other states move to adopt Internet wagering regulations, 888 Holdings will buy into the game.

“We’re building a U.S.-based poker network,” 888 Chief Operating Officer Itai Frieberger said in an interview during last month’s Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. “The U.S. could become a very lucrative market.”

New York City-based Avenue Capital Group shares that view.

In March, the hedge fund, which manages more than $12 billion in assets, struck a deal with 888 Holdings to create the All American Poker Network. The joint venture plans to launch 888’s brands into the U.S.

“The agreement sees a leading U.S. financial institution backing one of the largest gaming platform operators in the world, joining forces to tackle a potentially huge market,” 888 Holdings CEO Brian Mattingley said when the deal was announced.

Through the joint venture, Avenue Capital and 888 are in position when individual states approve online gaming. If a federal bill to legalize and regulate Internet poker comes to fruition, the All American Poker Network has the resources to pounce on that opportunity.

Frieberger, who oversaw product and technology developments for 888 before becoming COO, said the company is creating an infrastructure for U.S.-based Internet gaming, similar to what the company accomplished in Spain and Italy.

“We see this as a business opportunity that we can take to any state,” Frieberger said.

The All American Poker Network provides 888 with a way to build a business-to-consumer model through its technology platforms. In Nevada, for example, 888 can launch its own real money poker website through a platform it is creating to manage a pay-to-play poker website for Treasure Island.

Last month, Nevada gaming regulators approved a marketing agreement between 888 and Golden Gaming. The statewide slot machine route operator will send customers from its 40 wholly-owned statewide taverns and the company’s three Pahrump casinos to the 888-branded online poker website. Golden Gaming would share in a percentage of the gaming revenues.

The company is still bringing its business-to-business model to the U.S. by offering its proven Internet gaming technology to casino operators. The company provided Caesars Entertainment Corp. the platform to launch WSOP-com last month in Nevada, a real money online poker site based on the Caesars-owned World Series of Poker.

In New Jersey, 888 has a similar arrangement to launch online casinos (poker, tables games and slots) for Caesars’s four Atlantic City resorts, possibly as soon as the end of November. In Delaware, the state’s three racetrack casinos could be offering players online slots, poker, blackjack and roulette by the end of the month on a platform managed by 888 and lottery systems provider Scientific Games Corp.

Frieberger was a popular guest in the G2E media center for the gaming press. The day before the casino industry’s largest trade show and conference kicked off, the All American Poker Network announced an agreement with Wynn Resorts Ltd. to provide the company a space on the 888 platform.

Under this agreement, Wynn’s online brands will be paired alongside 888-com brands. The idea is to increase the number of players — expanding liquidity — which is key to any successful Internet poker operation. State gaming regulators will have to approve the concept in Nevada and New Jersey.

“This is exactly the type of partnership we’ve envisioned when we formed (the network),” Mattingley said in a statement announcing the Wynn deal. “The challenge of establishing a robust, entertaining offering with ample player liquidity is one of our prime goals.”

Frieberger described 888’s business activities in the U.S. as “three states with 10 brands.” The company is eyeing other markets, including California.

During the company’s Nevada licensing hearings in March, Mattingley told the Nevada Gaming Commission that 888 collected $376 million in gaming revenue in 2012, a 13 percent increase over 2011 and the largest single-year total in the company’s history. Revenue from online poker alone increased 31 percent.

Online gaming in the United Kingdom accounted for 43 percent of 888’s revenues.

In addition to the Nevada WSOP-com site, 888 Holdings and Caesars operate pay-to-play World Series of Poker websites in several European markets.

The company views the U.S. as uncharted territory, and 888 is well ahead of its European competition.

PokerStars, which has an agreement with Resorts Atlantic City to operate online gaming in New Jersey, is precluded for five years from entering Nevada through the state’s “bad actor” regulation. PokerStars accepted wagers from Americans after 2006, following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Bwin.party hasn’t been licensed in Nevada despite agreements with MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming Corp.

PaddyPower is also on the sidelines. The company, more closely associated with sports wagering, was found suitable by Nevada gaming regulators but has yet to strike a deal with an American casino company.

Meanwhile, as legal Internet poker expands across the U.S., 888 Holdings will grow its chip stack.


Inside Gaming: Gibraltar firm rocks online gambling | Las Vegas Review-Journal

ATLANTIC CITY has gotten a lot of attention from Governor Christie. He has signed legislation aimed at revitalizing the city into a bona fide "destination resort" and has reinforced that position with his trademark bluntness. Talking a few years ago about people who brave desert heat to visit Las Vegas in summer, the governor said they were "stupid" to do so and that they'd do better coming to Atlantic City to relax on the beach.

The city's struggles revolve around the fact casino gambling is no longer a novelty, which makes it imperative for the city to attract visitors interested in recreational opportunities beyond the roulette wheel and blackjack table. On that score, the ocean and Boardwalk are a huge plus for Atlantic City. An additional plus was the return of the Miss America pageant to the city this fall.

We think the governor is right to promote ways for Atlantic City to attract more visitors, which makes it hard to understand why the state is so gung-ho about allowing people to gamble not in city casinos, but on the Internet. That is destined to help the casino industry, but how will it help the city itself?

The state's Gaming Enforcement Division announced last week that it plans to initiate Internet gambling in New Jersey on Nov. 26. A five-day trial period will precede the planned public opening.

There are rules for online gambling, the most significant being that players must physically be located in the state of New Jersey. And same as gambling in a casino, players must be at least 21. Gamblers will play by opening online accounts with casinos. Those rules seem fine, but it seems reasonable that in this era of increasing technological know-how, someone would be able to devise a way to circumvent them.

The impetus for launching Internet gambling appears to be the sagging fortunes of Atlantic City's "brick and mortar" casinos. The city's casino revenue has dropped from $5.2 billion in 2006 to a little more than $3 billion last year. There seems no doubt that allowing players to gamble online will help the casinos' bottom line. But at what cost?

The state's Council on Compulsive Gambling estimates that there are 350,000 problem gamblers in New Jersey. That number is bound to rise if people can sit at their computers and gamble away untold amounts of money.

Perhaps a more overriding issue is that online gambling will make it less likely for people to visit Atlantic City. Why should someone contemplate driving a few hours to Atlantic City from northern New Jersey if they can gamble at home? The vibrancy of Atlantic City long term depends on people visiting. The city needs tourists staying in its hotels, eating in its restaurants and partaking in any number of non-gambling related activities. Just how is Internet gambling going to make that happen?

Interestingly, the date Internet gambling is slated to begin, Nov. 26, is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Rather than allowing people to gamble from home, the state would do better to entice visitors to come to Atlantic City for the long holiday weekend.



- See more at: Herald News: Internet gambling a shaky bet - NorthJersey-com

The Cardsharps, circa 1594, by Italian artist Caravaggio is a great example of women depicted playing cards. The role and evolution of women in the world of gambling is an interesting subject to explore mainly because the internet has changed betting but not the image people have of gamblers.
As another example of the women that made a significant contribution to the history of gambling in America is Poker Alice almost certainly the most famous woman gambler of the Wild West, but Eleanor Dumont was probably the most infamous. Better known to history by her nickname Madame Mustache, Eleanor achieved her fame as a result of being a renowned card cheat. Such was her talent for deception that Eleanor Dumont wasn't even her real name; she was originally a French citizen named Simone Jules.

Her story is not a pretty one but when she was young and beautiful people could not think that this pure looking lady could be cheating them. Her looks and wealth lasted only for so long but her fame continues to haunt the old casinos from the gold rush.

Women today have an opportunity to present the real side of themselves it is a world today full of personalities and styles. Online gambling has given women a equal chance to sit at the tables and play a fair game or two. The convenience of mobile gambling has given everyone a time slot where a quick game of poker or bingo or a few slots can be had.
There are still many stereotypical impressions being made by operators who capitalize on or at times exploit the fact that men will be men and women will be women. The great thing about the internet is that gender neutral parts can be found everywhere including internet betting sites. Making headway in a sea of different choices can be difficult at times but at the same time it can be fun.



Online Gambling Changing Image of Wagering Women

I prefer Blondes 😁