Issue N49, 2007
December 27, 2007
Net Entertainment Stryykes a Deal
Net Entertainment, the Swedish gambling company that has produced award winning software in the past, announced that it has signed a licensing deal with Strykkes Entertainment Limited, a gambling firm based in Malta. This is the 17th company that has partnered with Net Entertainment in the past year alone – a definite sign that the company’s powerful CasinoModule software is becoming increasingly popular among online gamblers today. John Ohman, CEO of Net Entertainment, was pleased with the new deal and said that the increased sales in the past year were a sign of a strong product and “our strengthened sales organization”.
Strykkes Entertainment CEO, Mr. Rajiv Giri, said in a statement that his company was seeking to expand its current sportsbooking and poker services with the addition of an online casino, and that Net Entertainment’s CasinoModule seemed the natural choice for this endeavor. Strykkes Entertainment, which operates mainly in the Central European region, has over 50,000 registered players on its customer base and it hopes that the new product will increase this number significantly, while providing its present clients with a wider choice of games and software.
BigJuicyOdds Saves Rival Site’s Customers
We’ve all heard of online gambling sites going that extra mile just to attract new players to their casinos, but this case is certainly a new one for anyone whose been around in the industry: BigJuicyOdds, a sportsbook from Costa Rica that is trying to break onto the gambling scene, recently got wind that a rival site, SBGlobal.com refused to pay out the winnings of ten of its clients on the basis that they were suspected of running a syndicate. SBGlobal has a zero-tolerance policy regarding this type of activity and reiterated that it would not put up with syndicate or professional betting action. “We won’t be cheated”, said the San-Jose based SBGlobal in a statement.
BigJuicyOdds, in a bid to prove that it took its customer service relations very seriously, decided to offer to pay the refused payouts – around $100,000 in total – into the accounts of the 10 players, without asking for a deposit in return. “We will do anything to make our players comfortable and extremely satisfied,” said Charlie Stanton, Director of Operations for BigJuicyOdds. The company puts much emphasis on its relationship with its customers and affiliates, including one-on-one client care and regular player suggested promotions.
Antigua can Suspend Intellectual Property Obligations for US Online Gambling Policy
In a much awaited arbitration panel ruling, the World Trade Organization announced recently that the Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda can suspend its intellectual property obligations to the United States in response to the latter’s refusal to allow the country to compete in its local online gambling industry. The WTO ruled that Antigua could, essentially, take US copyright goods such as computer software and compact discs and sell them without any copyright protection. It is estimated that sales from these goods would amount to over $21 million.
While this is seen as a small victory for the tiny island state in what has been dubbed a modern day David and Goliath situation, legal representatives for Antigua were nevertheless slightly disappointed with the ruling. Antigua had originally claimed $3.4-billion in compensation for what they saw as loss of revenue for their economy that relied heavily in the past on offshore gambling services. The United States counter offered with a significantly lower $500,000 and thus Antigua requested the intervention of the World Trade Organization arbitration panel. The $21-million, while higher than what the US originally offered, is obviously much less than what Antigua was hoping to receive in the ruling. The ruling cannot be appealed.
Nevertheless, Mark Mendel, a lawyer representing Antigua said regarding the ruling on intellectual property, “I hope that the United States government will now see the wisdom in reaching some accommodation with Antigua over this dispute and look forward to seeing efforts in this regard.” He also said that this type of move was a very potent weapon in the battle against the United States’ policy on online gambling.
YouTube-Inspired Product for Poker Players
Poker players will be pleased to note that they will now be able to watch professionals during a live match and learn from the experts, thanks to a new venture run by PokerNews. Run along the lines of the popular YouTube, where anybody can upload video clips, PokerTube will allow players to upload live games, card tricks, tips and others. New players will be pleased to find videos on how to play the game, from the very basics to advanced play, as well as strategy tips from top industry professionals such as Chris Moneymaker and Chip Reese.
Poker fans will also be able to watch the magical moments of some of the industry’s most exciting tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker event. At the moment, there are video clips featuring footage from as far back as the 1970s!