Issue N22, 2009
June 10, 2009
Casino Club Pays Happy Player Huge Jackpot
One of the more popular online casinos, the Boss Media powered Casino Club has announced that it has paid out one lucky winner €393,043.31 on the Fortunes of Egypt slot machine. The player, who has not been named except for the online pseudonym, sunnie-muc, tried his luck at the machine and wagered a mere €2.50 before striking it lucky.
The jackpot amount on the slot machine had been climbing slowly but steadily and in recent times had attracted more players than usual because of the sum that was creeping up to €400K.
"There was a lot of excitement when we heard the news that the jackpot had been won," said Marc West, speaking for Casino Club online gambling site. "The jackpot has been building up for a while and so it came as somewhat of a surprise when it was won. But then again, it can be won at any moment, and it was!"
West urged players to continue trying their luck at their favorite online casino and slot games, taking as an example sunnie-muc who has been a member of Casino Club since 2003. "As people can now see, these jackpots are real and do get won," he said. "Because of Casino Club, there is a player whose life has been forever changed. We really do make a difference to people's lives and make dreams come true. This just isn't rhetoric or marketing spin, it is an accurate reflection of what actually happens."
New Backgammon Product for Jadestone
Several Jadestone licensees, including the Finnish paf and bwin, have announced that they are now carrying the new backgammon network created by the Swedish software company, and which is already taking the industry by storm. Several other Jadestone partners, including NordicBet and TrioBet will also start offering the new product in the coming weeks.
The new backgammon product will incorporate a number of important changes that were suggested by long time backgammon players, including the introduction of doubling cubes and more match series and tournaments.
Players in most European languages can enjoy the network, which offers support in 25 languages.
“We've seen that backgammon is a tremendously popular game,” said the Business Development Director of Jadestone, Tobias Nissen. “We've had a lot of success with the simplified backgammon version in GamArea, so we're now doubling the stakes by adding the real thing. We're aiming high: we want to become the largest network and be the first choice for dedicated backgammon players across Europe.”
Microgaming Rolls out New Asian Products
The Isle of Man based software company, Microgaming, exhibited a line of new products especially created for the fast growing Asian gambling market at the recent G2E show that took place in Macau (June 2nd-4th). The company showed Asian operators and players innovative offerings, including its industry leading LiveDealer service which allows Asian players to benefit from live casino dealers beamed right into their own homes using the latest in technology.
The LiveDealer product incorporates baccarat and roulette.
Other products on show included a range of new games that should appeal directly to Asian players such as the five card stud game, Showhand and Dou Di Zhu.
Fredrik Lonqvist, speaking for Microgaming in Asia, said: “We are exhibiting at G2E Asia with a strong portfolio of games specifically developed to the Asian market. Our ability to provide localized game play to reflect the differing languages and gaming habits across the Asian region, coupled with our local support provision, provides a perfect platform to live up to our slogan of 'We are the Game'.”
Microgaming has built up a strong presence in Asia, with support teams located in Singapore and the Philippines, meaning that it is able to offer its partner sites 24/7 back end support.
NJ Governor Backs Legal Sports Betting Industry
Governor Joe Corzine of New Jersey has indicated his intentions to back a federal lawsuit that may see the ban on sports betting lifted in over 40 states in the country. The lawsuit was initiated by Senator Raymond Lesniak and the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA).
“Delaware's entry into sports wagering and table games is a serious threat to both the casino and horse racing industries in New Jersey,” said Governor Corzine when asked why he was backing the lawsuit. “We must to everything in our power to stay competitive. We simply cannot afford to sit back and let neighboring states press an unfair advantage against us anytime, and certainly not in the midst of this global economic crisis.”
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, passed in 1991, gave New Jersey the chance to legalize sports betting at the time it came into being, but the state passed up the opportunity. There are now signs that the state regrets its decision, based on the growing call to keep up with the competition in neighboring states that do offer sports betting, and bring in much needed revenue to state coffers through taxation and licensing.