James Akenhead has had a great start to 2012 after what was an amazing previous couple of years. Not content with live game success he has now taken down the PokerStars Sunday Million at www.pokerstars.co.uk for a huge payday of $213,750. The Stars Sunday Million has become a regular fixture now in the online poker calendar because of the fact that it guarantees $1 million in prize money which possibly makes it one of the biggest tournaments in the world based on how much prize money it generates over the course of a year.

Akenhead bested a field of 7125 players and so he has come first in a field size that is similar to that of the main event at the WSOP. The total prize money was $1,425,000 and as always some of the best online tournament grinders in the world do battle every week in this absolute monster of an event. Although to win any tournament requires luck and Akenhead had his share. He went into the final table battle with a useful but marginal 40bb stack. He ended up all in with K-10 against Q-Q and managed to spike a winning hand.

From that piece of good fortune then Akenhead didn’t really look back and he ended up in the heads up match with a chip lead of around 4/1 or so. That was enough to take him to the title but it wasn’t plain sailing. The two finalists paused to discuss a potential deal as in most tournaments but the two players couldn’t agree on a split and so played on. Akenhead quickly got back into a strong lead after his opponent “pnp23’s” doubled up briefly. However Akenhead soon got all in with K-10 against the pocket eights of his opponent and despite missing the flop and turn, his luck ran true to form and he spiked a king on the river. Something tells me that we haven’t seen the last of James Akenhead in 2012.

The latest Mr. Green game release to burst onto the scene is the wonderfully retro and sleekly, stylish Starburst.

Mr. Greens shining new game has replaced Wilds with Starbursts expanding over the entire reel and remaining in place for up to 3 re-spins; astronomical chances for huge wins!

Players visiting Casino Scam Report, (CSR) will recall that Mr. Green was awarded an honarable mention on our 1st Annual Awards, Our Top Approved Online Casinos of 2011!.

Starburst is the perfect combination of Net Entertainment cutting edge software and 80′s nostalgia. Starburst is simple to play without compromising on suspense and excitement.

One aspect of Starburst that slots fans will love is the fact that it features the win both ways feature which allows players to win on symbol combinations from right to left as well as left to right!

The game also includes an exciting Starburst Wild feature as well as lots of fantastic free spins. This is just one of many new releases at Mr Green as we aim to release at least two new games a month.

About Mr. Green

Mr Green Limited is a company registered in accordance with Maltese Law with registration no C43260, Registered office: Office 103, Suite A, Dolphin Court A, Embassy Way, Ta’ Xbiex XBX1071, Malta; Mr Green Limited is operating under the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta and holds the following provisional licenses – LGA/CL1/434/2007 issued on the 17 March 2009 and LGA/CL1/521/2008 issued on the 7th April 2009.

About Net Entertainment

Founded in 1996 by one of Scandinavia’s leading off-line casino operators, Net Entertainment was one of the pioneers in online gambling.

Net Entertainment is a fully transparent, publicly traded company listed at Nasdaq OMX Stockholm Mid Cap (NET-B). Net Entertainment is unique in the market, not only in its focus strategy on casino games, but also because of the fact that the company does not have any casino operation of its own, nor any interests in such operations. This means that there are no conflicts of interest between Net Entertainment and its customers.

Reported by Maggie B.

CSR is delighted to announce the release of yet another new game at Mr Green, as promised this is the second new release of the week. Powered by Betsoft, Lost is a 3D Egyptian themed slot featuring the curious and cool Doctor Dakota Bones aka the relic hunter and his faithful sidekick Farooq.

Lost includes multipliers up to 5 x your bet as well as four bonus rounds. If you love free spins this is definitely the game for you as every win earns you a re-spin via the fantastic re-spin multiplier bonus feature. As well as awesome 3D graphics the game play in Lost is action packed with wilds, instant wins and much much more. Get lost in a world of fun and play today!

More About Lost

In a recent news report on wthm.com, Channel 8 reported that the Govenor Malloy of Connecticut feels more money will be spent on repairing the damage online gambling could cause with players that suffer from addictions than the positive outcomes of generated revenue to the state.

Marvin Steinberg is a 30 year advocate against gambling and with recent changes to the Federal Wire Act he is now taking a stance on the possibility of Connecticut approving online gambling.

Steinberg, the man most credited with bringing the dangers of problem gambling to the attention of state policymakers, is resigning as executive director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling later this month. Mary Drexler, CT Council on Problem Gambling, will take over Steinberg’s position soon, believes the biggest threat is to underage players who have grown up playing games online. She stated that the ease and convenience of using mobile phones and your home computer will make it more accessible and tempting to underage players.

Their fears are that the risk of problem gambling will become greater with online gambling, even more greater than state lotteries and casinos.

Steinberg hopes that a small percentage of revenue generated from online gambling will go to the treatment of problem and underage gambling. The consensus is that the $1.9million annual funds for problem gambling is just not enough. Steinberg continued with this statement, “The tribes have basically kept our agency afloat  because four fifths of our money is from the tribes and one-fifth is from the state.

Governor Daniel Malloy believes if gambling expands the spending on problem gambling will as well, sharing the opinion that if they were to go ahead with any gaming that a 1% increase would be enough for the state.

Marvin Steinberg is the co-founder and current Executive Director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. He has also served as Vice President and Secretary for the National Council on Problem Gambling and continues to serve on the Board of the National Council. He is a clinical psychologist and received a Masters and Ph.D. at the University of Texas.

Reported by Maggie B.

The California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), founded in 1988 is dedicated to the purpose of protecting the sovereign right of Indian tribes to have gaming on federally-recognized Indian lands.

So when International Game Technology IGT announced earlier this week, that the Company will sponsor the 2012 Western Indian Gaming Conference hosted by the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) is was not a big surprise since IGT has been a strong proponent of CNIGA for more than 10 years with contributions to their association to maintain Tribal Sovereignty and promote Indian Gaming.

“IGT is proud of our history of support for the California Nations Indian Gaming Association,” said Knute Knudson, IGT’s vice president of global business development. “We deeply value our relationship with CNIGA and our long-term commitment to CNIGA’s member tribes as well as our continued support for the 2012 Western Indian Gaming Conference.”

Most recently, IGT entered into an agreement with CNIGA called the IGT/CNIGA Wide Area Progressive (WAP). This mutually beneficial initiative included financial support for CNIGA while increasing MegaJackpots® WAP games on the floors of their members’ properties.

“Revenues raised from the WIGC go directly to fund CNIGA’s work to preserve and protect tribal government gaming rights,” said Chairman Daniel J. Tucker, “Through this sponsorship, IGT continues their long standing support of the association. We are thankful to IGT for their ongoing dedication to the tribal government gaming industry.”

The conference runs from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, Calif.

Reported by Maggie B.

International Game Technology announced today it took top honors at the International Gaming Awards (IGA), winning Best Slot Manufacturer of the Year.

“IGT is excited to be named Best Slot Manufacturer of the Year at the International Gaming Awards,” said Craig Churchill, IGT senior vice president International. “We are deeply honored to be acknowledged with this award and take great pride in the entire IGT team.”

IGT also showcased its sleek new lineup of slots,  The Dark Knight, Elvis The King®, Sex and The City™ Fabulous, Ghostbusters™ Who Ya Gonna Call? and The Twilight Zone® in 3D.

“We are raising the bar to a thrilling new level, combining IGT’s success as a world leader in gaming with the power of popular culture’s most resonating properties,” said Craig Churchill, IGT senior vice president of international sales. “From leading-edge technologies to the latest in slot innovation, IGT is committed to providing our customers with top-notch products and solutions that deliver an unmatched wow-factor for both operators and players.”

Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the hip-shaking King’s first, number-one record, IGT will debut Elvis The King® Multi-Level Progressives in London. This entertaining slot, designed as a classic jukebox, features base games, bonuses and progressives that connect some of Elvis Presley’s most beloved songs to winning.

“The eye-catching Center Stage™ 103-inch and 70-inch platforms, as well as the new Center Stage Duo™ 55-inch screen, will have players at ICE lining up to score the best seat in the house,” said Churchill. “Center Stage games such as The Dark Knight are entertaining players around the globe with fans in South Africa, Monte Carlo and beyond. The battle for Gotham City begins on this new configuration as the title makes its debut on the Center Stage Duo™ at ICE.”

About IGT
International Game Technology is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products, as well as online and mobile gaming solutions for regulated markets.

Reported by Maggie B.

If you “Like” bingo then Zynga Bingo will be here soon for you to play and update your status about. The themed rooms include Vegas Lights, a take on sin city, as well as Pirate’s Paradise and Farmville Bounty, where Farmville meets Bingo.

Zynga Bingo announced recently, “The Zynga Bingo Closed Beta has begun. We have a limited amount of space as we work on fine tuning the game, so please be patient with any issues you see.”

“Right now, we’re only letting a limited number of people into the game to make sure our players are getting a primo, Zynga Bingo experience, before officially open the floodgates,” Zynga said.

Zynga Bingo is the first new game in the Zyngo Casino franchise, which was announced in October. The franchise, dubbed “the world’s largest and most social casino” also includes Zynga Poker, which was launched in 2007, and boasts more than 35 million monthly active players.

Below is a sneak peak video:

Initial Rewards is now the largest dedicated supplier of promotional merchandise and loyalty reward programs for the Gaming Industry outside of North America and Microgaming has announced that its Microgaming Poker Network has signed an agreement in principle with the supplier.

“Loyalty stores have been proven as a powerful player retention feature and we are excited about the opportunity to work with Initial Rewards in providing them to our operator base,” said Lydia Melton, Head of Network Games for Microgaming.

“The Microgaming Poker Network caters to a diverse range of clients from large publicly listed companies to smaller operators in niche and regional markets. By partnering with Initial Rewards at a network level we are able to offer loyalty stores to all our operators and we are delighted to enhance our offering to our customers.”

Microgaming stated that its deal will also see London-based Initial Rewards service Microgaming Poker Network operators with ‘a range of loyalty offerings that have an impressive global reach’.

“Our partnership with Microgaming is set to strengthen our offering further. It will also significantly enhance the Microgaming Poker Network player experience and we are thrilled on both counts.”

Reported by Maggie B.

Recently Playtech announced that they had acquired the entire issued share capital of Ash Gaming, one of the leading developers of interactive gambling and betting games.

And now in another huge move by the company, Playtech is helping Jersey become an established and leading online gaming licensing jurisdiction with the news that Playtech has applied for a new remote gaming licence.

Jersey’s Economic Development Minister Senator Alan Maclean said he had been working with the company for a number of months, attracting a big company was a “huge stamp of approval for the eGaming strategy”.

Playtech is one of the world’s largest eGaming software developers, and the first to apply for a Jersey gaming licence.

Maclean also stated, “It demonstrates how we can leverage Jersey’s long-standing reputation for excellent regulation; infrastructure and world class professional services by developing exciting new opportunities for our economy from the lucrative global eGaming market.”

Mor Weizer, Playtech’s Chief Executive says, ‘We are delighted to be seeking an operating licence in Jersey. We met last year with the Jersey authorities in Israel who convinced us of the merits of the new licencing regime and their commitment to the sector. With many of our existing licencees having operations in the Channel Islands it makes good sense for us to seek a licence in Jersey to support our customers from a regulated jurisdiction with a first class infrastructure.’

Reported by Maggie B.

“The Hoff”, star of iconic shows like Knight Rider, Baywatch, America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent, is using his global appeal to reach fans across the globe and entertain players off air and online.

David Loveday, Chief Executive of OpenBet, stated earlier that, “OpenBet is proud of its leading portfolio of branded content and the introduction of David Hasselhoff’s iconic “Hoff” character is further evidence of the innovative way OpenBet brings interesting content to its customers. The much loved Hoff persona allows OpenBet to bring games that are not only quirky and fun but appeal to a wide range of customers.”

David Hasselhoff, was ecstatic, proclaiming in his usual quirky fashion, “The name of the game is to work with the right partners to produce fun and new interesting material. I look forward to working with OpenBet and MX Gaming to give bookmakers, bingo providers and lotteries the opportunity to jump in on the action and rev up gaming audiences far and wide.”

Ike McFadden, Director of Business at MX Gaming, added; “We always look for ways to bring our film and TV experience to the gaming space, but our recent shoot in Hollywood with David was flat-out one of the most fun experiences we’ve ever had on-set. He’s fun, energetic, and the perfect crossover act for the online gaming world.”

Reported by Maggie B.