Issue N17, 2008
April 24, 2008
Finn Player Wins $5.5 Million on Mega Moolah
One of the largest single payouts in the history of online gambling was made last week after a player from Finland won a massive $5.5 million playing the Mega Moolah Progressive Slots Machine. The win was made at Blackjack Ballroom online casino, one of the most popular sites on the internet. Klaus E. was still in a state of shock after his multi million dollar windfall that was generated by a mere 0.50c coin. There are plans to fly the winner out to Sydney, Australia, where he will receive his check and become an elite member of CasinoRewards’ exclusive Millionaire’s Club.
Roger Raatgever the CEO Microgaming, which powers Blackjack Ballroom said about the win: "Those that say thirteen is an unlucky number have only to take one look at Klaus E. who not only becomes the Microgaming Progressive Jackpot's thirteenth millionaire, but by far and away the biggest jackpot winner we've ever had. Mega-Moolah has been tantalising players for months now and its finally delivered on a massive scale -- with $5,556,753.68 being one of the largest payouts this industry has ever seen.”
Calvin Ayre Retires From Bodog
The flamboyant and often controversial online casino tycoon, Calvin Ayre, stunned the gambling industry this week with a dramatic announcement that he would be leaving Bodog – the company that he founded from a $10,000 starting kitty into a multi billion dollar empire, and which encompasses nearly every sector of the gambling world.
While the news of his retirement was initially met by skepticism and seen as another prank pulled by the fun-loving Ayre, the billionaire later confirmed the rumors on his own website blog with the following statement: “You've likely heard the rumblings and rumors….and for once…..it's true…I'm packing it in!...I was really more of a brand ambassador for Bodog the past while anyway – but it was fun while it lasted.”
Ayre, who transferred ownership of Bodog’s North American operations to the Morris Mohawk Gambling Group, which works out of the Kahnawake sovereign territory, last year, is said to want to concentrate more on his charity work now that he is ‘free’. “While it has been great fun to live my life in front of the world's cameras and online though my blog, I am looking forward to a more private and meaningful period of giving back and working to support the Calvin Ayre Foundation,” he wrote on his blog.
Royal Award to Betfair
Betfair, one of the gambling industry’s most successful betting exchange operators, has won the prestigious Queen’s Award for the second time in the company’s history. Betfair, founded in 2000, received the award in the International Trade section this year, in recognition of its commercial success in overseas transactions. In 2003, the company won the Queen’s Award in the Innovation sector. Since then, the company has grown from 100,000 users to over one million, with nearly half of them residing outside of the United Kingdom.
Chief Executive of Betfair, David Yu, said: “Upon winning our first award in 2003, our chairman and co-founder Edward Wray said that the company was looking forward to taking this great British innovation onto the global stage. Five years on, this award for International Trade is recognition of the strides we’ve made towards achieving that aim.
“Betfair continues to pride itself on its innovation, integrity, fairness to customers and a determination to work in partnership with international governments and regulators. Those qualities are being recognised throughout the world and we now have operational bases in Australia and Malta to support over one million registered customers.”
UK Advertising Authority Upholds Complaints Against 2 Companies
The British Advertising Standards Authority found that two online casino operators – PaddyPower and InterCasino – breached the tough marketing regulations set out by the group when new gambling laws came into effect last year in the country. PaddyPower’s newspaper spread that appeared in the Times newspaper, and four of InterCasino’s television advertisements that were screened last year, were deemed unacceptable under ASA regulations.
The PaddyPower campaign, showing a short man in a limousine, surrounded by scantily dressed, beautiful women, was considered by the ASA to link gambling to sexual prowess, attractiveness and wealth – elements that are not allowed under the new gambling regulations. In addition, four InterCasino television ads that appeared last September were considered to target youth groups through their fun, adolescent-style themes.
While InterCasino initially refused to remove the advertisements because the company claimed that no complaints had been made against them, the ASA upheld its decision and ordered them not to be screened again. PaddyPower has, however, agreed to work with the Association and has given its word that it would not run the spread in the UK media again.