The Belgium Gaming Commission announced that during the last update to their blacklist, Betfair, William Hill and bwin.party brand bwin have been added as a list of companies which internet service providers in the country must block.

eGR was told by Peter Naessens, head of the regulatory unit at the commission, “that the reasons for adding operators to the list include the continued acceptance of Belgian players from unlicensed dot.com sites, attracting minors or vulnerable players, or connections with organized crime.”

Belgian authorities claim the blacklist offer opportunities to legitimate operators who apply for licenses while protecting players from ‘illegal’ sites which operate without a license in the country.

Others included in the Belgian Gaming Commission’s (BGC) May update include the dot.com offerings of Betsson, 188Bet, and Betclic Everest brands BetClic, Expekt and bet-at-home.

Other related news:

Pokerstars is Granted Belgian License While Others Are Blacklisted

Belgium Approves Three Online Poker Rooms, Blocks Unauthorized Domains

Belgian Online Gambling Poses Trade Violations, Says EU

Reported by Maggie B.

Tuesday saw the release of a new Real Time Gaming (RTG) online slots game Loch Ness Loot, I logged into my Intertops account and found that as promised, they had already established the new slot in their catalog of well over 300 of online casino games.

This newly themed online 5 reel, 25 line slots game is based on the legend of the Loch Ness Monster from bonny Scotland, including a bagpipe filled soundtrack to accompany the fun and colorful graphics.

Join Lochie and “Peer into the murky waters of the Loch Ness and find a hidden trove of treasure waiting to be discovered in Loch Ness Loot“, slot players can trigger the bonus feature and win 8 free games with prizes doubled. Any Loch Ness monster substitutes that appear during free games will expand to cover the reels!

Line bets start at just .01 cent with a max up to $5, with up to $125 bets per spin which is fantastic for players, because all prizes are doubled during the free spins bonus.

Loch Ness Loot also offers the unique Win-Win feature, which ensures that even the smallest feature win will be transformed into a prize worthy of capturing on film!

This newly released slot game may be just the special something Mom’s would enjoy playing this Sunday on her special day and Intertops is giving the special ladies in our lives a Mother’s Day 50% deposit bonus of up to $100!*

When MGM announced last year that it was going to take on social gaming to bring a new customer base to its casinos it was certainly it preparation of the latest social gaming market boom.

According to MGM CEO Jim Murren, MGM Resorts expects to announce a new social media game that would be along the lines of Zynga’s popular online game FarmVille.

With 800 million users on Facebook alone, the social gaming market has witnessed enormous growth, and bricks-and-mortar casinos as well as online casinos are taking notice and acting quickly to capitalize.

According to IHS Screen Digest, the social gaming market more than doubled since 2009, witnessing a growth of 116.4 percent to $1.4 billion. IHS expects the social gaming market to grow at a combined annual growth rate of 15 percent between 2010 and 2015.

According to James Murren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for MGM Resorts, “New growth markets in gaming will likely emerge and we have positioned ourselves internationally to effectively compete there and we’re very excited to say that this quarter, along with our partners, in the second quarter, we’re launching a social gaming site that recreates the Las Vegas Strip experience and exclusively features our brands.

“We believe that this product will be superior to what you currently see in the market and will be a strong customer acquisition and brand extension tool for us.

“And of course, we continued to remain aggressively focused on pursuing federal legislation for online poker and we’re keenly aware of what’s going on, on a state-by-state basis for those opportunities, which we think will likely emerge.”

MGM is also looking to take Macau by storm, Macau represents a $35 billion casino gambling market, which would grow to $50 billion five years from now, Murren said in an exclusive “Fast Money” interview.

“We want to build another property there and we do expect to spend $2½ billion because we think the markets are going to be there for us, and our brands work in China,” Murren said.

“Believe it or not, after what the market’s been through, we’re going to have all-time record visitation in Las Vegas in 2012,” he said.

Reported by Maggie B.

On May 2nd the Nevada Gaming Control Board announced, the State Gaming Control Board Technology Division will no longer perform the pre-approval testing of gambling games, gaming devices, associated equipment, cashless wagering systems, mobile gaming systems, and interactive gaming systems.

Active as of July 1st, 2012, the pre-approval testing service is to be conducted by independent testing laboratories (ITL) that have been registered by the State Gaming Control Board (GCB). The review of all products in the Technology Division queue for testing as of June 30, 2012, will be completed by the Technology Division Lab.

The Nevada Gaming Commission and State Gaming Control Board will remain the approval authority for air gambling games, gaming devices, associated equipment, cashless wagering systems, mobile gaming systems, and interactive gaming systems operated in Nevada.

“Once an independent testing laboratory has been registered, manufacturers may begin utilizing their service of pre-approval testing and certification for products to be submitted to the Nevada Gaming Control Board for approval,” read the statement from the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

“Manufacturers will be able to use the independent testing laboratory of their choosing and will not be restricted to the use of a single independent testing laboratory.”

Reported by Maggie B.

What a way to celebrate the most special person in your life with over $/£15 000 worth of prizes and giveaways to be won this May!

Fortune Lounge online casinos, (Royal Vegas, Platinum Play and 7 Sultans) to name a few, are celebrating Mother’s Day in May with some fantastic supercharged slot tournaments with extra prizes worth an additional $8,000!

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Not into slot tournaments, no problem, how about going back to the classics where you can win daily bucket loads of loyalty points by simply playing a selection of our classic 3-reel slot games?

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How Promotions Work

With the numerous weekly and monthly promotions running across all member casinos, you’ll have every opportunity to hit it big.

For example, if you sign-up up to any one of Fortune Lounge’s member casinos and make a purchase, you’ll be invited to participate in weekly tournaments. These weekly tournaments are part of larger overall promotions which always culminates in a glorious event at an exotic destination during which lucky finalists compete for a grand prize.

The weekly tournaments that players are invited participate in work in different ways. But they’re easy to qualify for and all you need to do is click the “Enter Here” button in the message that the casino will send you. Prizes are determined either through lucky draws or highest play through tournaments. See below for more information on our current overall promotion.

To start winning visit any one of the following Fortune Lounge online casinos today!

Royal Vegas
Platinum Play
7 Sultans

Reported by Maggie B.

In 1978 the original SPACE INVADERS® game, by TAITO Corporation (TAITO), ignited an entire entertainment frenzy and garnered revolution of a gaming generation.

Some thirty-four years later, FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has signed a two-year deal with Square Enix Ltd to develop an innovative and current online slots game based on the popular SPACE INVADERS® game.

The new deal outlines the development of an online slot game based on the classic arcade video game, FME’s Gambling division has previously licensed, developed and distributed branded games for online, mobile and land based slots across a number of brands including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, The Price Is Right and Family Fortunes.

“The deal with Square Enix further demonstrates our goal to become one of the leading developers and distributors of premium branded gaming content,” said Simon Murphy, Head of Gambling EMEA. “We are thrilled to be introducing the iconic and globally recognized Space Invaders into the gambling space for the first time.”

SPACE INVADERS and SQUARE ENIX are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group.

About FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe’s largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world’s major media and entertainment companies.

Reported by Maggie B.

Reports began yesterday on gambling forums and blogs that Lock Poker was leaving the Merge Network and is in talks to acquire the Cake Poker Network. We’ve also had player complaints about slow and delayed payments from the poker network.

According to a released statement from Lock Poker, “As of June 1st a whole new world awaits the Lock Nation.”

Lock Poker stated that the acquisition will see it ‘driving technology, marketing, player rewards and implementing a richer tournament schedule’ while members of its LockPro team of sponsored professionals are to be ‘at the foundation of these changes’.

“We are very excited at the prospect of driving the product, marketing and overall vision of the network. It is a dream come true,” “Merge (Network) was a great stepping stone for us but we have outgrown it,” said Jennifer Larson, Chief Executive Officer for Lock Poker. “We really need to forge our own path to continued success. The only way to do this is to stay true to our of core philosophy of partnering with our players.”

“Lock is in the process of acquiring assets from Cake and will be re-branding the Cake Network to launch Revolution Gaming, will come together and offer recommendations on all levels, truly bringing the player into the boardroom.

“To all existing Lock players this move will be seamless, it will take the form of a simple software update happening on May 31st. You will login to find your real money balance as well as everything else you know and love about Lock. Lock will also continue to manage their own stand-alone cashier so withdrawals will be as fast and easy as they are now. All players’ current player VIP rewards will only increase and all rakeback players will be moved over to the increased percentage on Revolution.

“Get ready for the exciting new times ahead as we continue to drive the new era where the player reigns.

Reported by Maggie B.

After agreeing to a substantial seven-figure deal with Stoke City, bet365 has become the official shirt sponsor to English Premier League football club. Potteries-based bet365, who announced annual profits of £91.2m in the 12 months to March last year, become the ninth company to sponsor Stoke’s shirt since advertising was first permitted in the 1980s.

The operator replaces the Britannia Co-Operative Bank on the front of the club’s home and away shirts, although the financial institution retains naming rights to the club’s stadium.

Denise Coates, daughter of Stoke City chairman Peter Coates and joint chief executive of bet365, said, “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to become Stoke City’s shirt sponsors. “It is a perfect fit for us as a Stoke-on-Trent-based company with a global reach and international markets. “It also further demonstrates our long-term commitment to the club.”

Welcoming the bet365 and Britannia announcements, Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes, said, “The club is already hugely indebted to the support from bet365 and its owners, the Coates family.

“While Britannia and the Co-operative Group focus more on local and national markets, bet365, who are the largest private sector employers in the area, operate on a global basis. “This agreement with bet365 means we have been able to maximise the international element of the club’s exposure.

“We received a number of offers from potential sponsors, but bet365 were the highest bidders.”

Barry Tootell, chief executive of the Co-operative Bank, added, “Our relationship with Stoke City is very special. North Staffordshire is a key trading area for the whole of the Co-operative Group.

“Developing our involvement with the club’s community programme is a natural fit for our Co-operative businesses because it is extremely important for us to support areas in which we trade.”

Reported by Maggie B.

California Senators Wright and Steinberg’s bill (SB 1463), the Gambling Control Act provides for the licensure of certain individuals and establishments that conduct controlled games, as defined, and for the regulation of these gambling activities by the California Gambling Control Commission.

So as reports began surfacing this morning that bwin.party has signed into a ten-year agreement with the United Auburn Indian Community (‘UAIC’), which operates the Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento was a definite move forward offering the play of authorized gambling games to registered players within California.

bwin.party is hoping to provide the technology and operations expertise to power the services, giving support to the California Indian tribe that already operates a casino resort within the state.

UAIC would be a qualified license applicant under legislation proposed in the California State Senate and would secure and maintain the necessary licenses to operate online poker services in California.

“California is the largest state in the U.S. in terms of population and is known to have a significant number of poker players who like to play poker online.  Combining our own significant assets and resources with those of UAIC will create a strong partnership that is well-placed to seize the opportunities that will arise if appropriate online poker legislation is enacted in the Golden State,” stated Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger, the Co-CEOs of bwin.party.

“We see the legalisation of Internet poker and other Internet gaming as being inevitable. Having met with representatives from a number of different online gaming companies, bwin.party was our first choice as partner.  With its unrivalled expertise in online poker, proven technology and player loyalty we are confident of being able to maximise the revenue opportunity from a regulated online poker market in California and to continue to enhance the long-term prosperity of our community,” David Keyser, Tribal Chairman of UAIC.

Bwin.party digital claims to be the largest listed online gaming business with market leading positions in each of our four product verticals: poker, sports betting, casino and bingo.

Reported by Maggie B.

March 2007, the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO ruled that the US had failed to comply with the 2005 ruling against prohibitions on Internet gambling. Later in the year, the WTO granted Antigua US$21 million in annual trade sanctions against the US as compensation for damages.

Back in February we reported about the ongoing dispute between Antigua and the United States in which WTO proceedings were filed, now again, just a few short months later, according to the Observer News, Antigua is continuing the battle with the States over online gambling.

Once again Antigua took it’s online gambling dispute with the United States to yet another WTO meeting last week, frustrated by the United States pursuit and prosecution of online gambling operators on its territory, Antigua alleges that the US is breaching international trade agreements and should face sanctions, according to the Observer News.

All the while, both sides in the ongoing cross-border online gambling dispute continue blaming each other for the lack of an amicable resolution at last week’s World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting.

A letter presented to the WTO Dispute Settlement Body, the Antiguan & Barbudan government noted that they are diligently attempting to “negotiate a settlement with the US” and called for the United States to “observe its international obligations in good faith and with due consideration for the rights of Antigua & Barbuda.”

But the back and forth blame between the two parties continues as the U.S. says it is Antigua & Barbuda to blame for hold-up in negotiations.

Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer has expressed disappointment that the United States has not done enough to settle a long outstanding Internet gaming dispute with Antigua and Barbuda.

The Prime Minister said, Antigua and Barbuda had put forward several options to settle the case but that “there has been no fairness in the proposals received from the United States to date.  

“Antigua and Barbuda’s Internet gaming sector has been decimated by the actions of the United States, and we believe that we must be fairly compensated for those losses,” Spencer said.

Antigua claimed that it has lost US$3.4 billion a year due to the US action, but the WTO ultimately awarded US$21 million in damages against the US.

In the meantime, the US has continued to legally pursue companies that engage in online gambling in Antigua and other jurisdictions. The most recent indictment was brought against Calvin Ayer, founder of Bodog.com, in February of this year.

Reported by Maggie B.