Issue N18, 2007
May 10, 2007
Curacoa Updates its Internet Gambling Legislation
The territory of Curacao has always been in the forefront of the internet gambling industry. When the market was only just developing in the early 1990s, Curacao was one of the first jurisdictions to provide licensing to several online casinos and today employs hundreds of workers who serve the industry directly. Curacao also enjoys significant financial advantages from being one of the oldest and largest remote gaming jurisdictions in the world.
Recently, Curacao announced that it would be updating its internet gambling laws, with the aim to stay one step ahead in the industry that is reportedly worth more than $10-billion. As part of this updating process, Curacao also renewed its pledge to aim for a regulated e-gaming industry that was acceptable to the international community at large. As part of this mission, Curacao applied to the United Kingdom to be accepted as a legal e-gaming jurisdiction with reciprocal rights. Essentially, this means that companies licensed in this territory get to benefit significantly from the growing UK market. Already, many of the top internet gaming companies in the world are licensed in Curacao.
Antigua and Barbuda Welcome Barney Frank’s UIGEA-Repeal Initiative
The government of Antigua and Barbuda looked positively on the news that U.S. politician, Rep. Barney Frank was making moves to repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Dr. Errol Cort, Antigua’s Minister of Finance and Economy said: “While we have not yet seen the legislation, we are encouraged that such a prominent legislator in the United States has stepped forward in support of a rational approach to the provision of remote gaming services.”
Antigua recently won what many considered a “David and Goliath” type battle against the United States when it formally complained to the World Trade Organization against the US’s policy regarding remote gambling. In a groundbreaking decision last month, the WTO ruled that the US was obliged to provide Antiguan service providers access to US consumers. It remains to be seen whether the US will heed this ruling, although it seems to have no choice, considering that it is always pushing for other countries to do the same.
Antigua’s lead counsel on the WTO gambling case, Mark Mendel, said that it intended to deal directly with Barney Frank after he had reviewed the legislation. “It is about time that the United States gave this issue the thoughtful consideration it deserves rather than simply trying to prohibit it. Antigua has been successfully regulating this industry for a decade now. It can be done.” Mendel retorted.
WSOP Packages to be Won at Low Bid Auction
PlayersOnline – a popular online casino and sportsbetting site – has found an ingenious way of rewarding its players. While the site runs regular weekly satellite tournaments to put players in line to gain entry into the World Series of Poker event in July, the site is also offering the same package for less than a dollar! The WSOP low bid auction is presently running on the site and the winner of the lowest unique bid will win the package worth $12,000. The site’s brand manager noted that there are still a number of values for under a dollar that have not yet been bid, making this a very cheap option for anyone wanting to travel to Vegas.
The WSOP event will take place between 6-17 of July in the prestigious Rio Hotel and Casino. The package will include airfares to Las Vegas, hotel accommodation and cash to pay the registration fee for the event. Only US gamblers are allowed to bid in PlayersOnline auction. While registration to the site is free, each bid costs $1.99. The site is offering the first online bid free of charge.
Online Gambling Insider Portal Offers Free Racebook Advice
For players who are new to the world of online racebooking, it seems like an impossible mission to choose which horses will win prestigious industry races and how to go about selecting favorites. These days, it is especially difficult to make a choice regarding the winners of the two popular Triple Crown competitions – the US Triple Crown (constituting the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes) or the English Triple Crown (constituting the Epsom Derby, the St. Leger Stakes and the 2000 Guineas).
Thankfully, help is at hand because of the efforts of the popular gambling portal, Online Gambling Insider. The site recently announced the introduction of a new guide that assists players in making their racebook decisions. The site will present several top quality and responsible racebooks that have proven to be trustworthy over time. Players can then make their own educated decisions, based on this advice. With tension running high before the horse-racing season, Online Gambling Insider also offers a place to bet on the Triple Crown events.