Issue N6, 2008
February 7, 2008
Major US Sports Body Pushes to Strengthen Online Gambling Ban
It was reported this week that the National Basketball Association, one of the United States’ most powerful and influential sporting bodies, has paid a consulting firm to lobby congress on its behalf over several issues, including online gambling and sportsbetting. Under a federal law that was passed in 1995, all US lobbyists need to reveal any activities that could be possibly influence legislative and executive branches of the government.
The NBA paid McGuirewoods Consulting firm the total of $330,000, spread over the months in 2007, in order to lobby congress to “strengthen prohibition against online gambling” and to preserve the current ban on sports wagering. Under US legislation, US banks and financial institutions are not allowed to transfer funds to and from offshore gambling companies, making it increasingly difficult for US players to enjoy their online wagering and collect their winnings. Recent pressure from local and international sectors, however, have forced the country to rethink its policy, with many politicians backing new legislation calling for the regulation of the industry, instead of a total prohibition. It was revealed in a report that the US could earn billions of dollars in taxation if the online gambling market was regulated.
Belgian and Dutch Gambling Markets Becoming More Liberalized
A recent report shows that several European countries are become more liberalized when it comes to online gambling, with Belgium and the Netherlands being the latest countries to exhibit signs of this trend. The MECN report showed that Belgium has always had a generally relaxed view on the gambling activities of its citizens. However, in the past few months, moves have been made to open its internet wagering market to private providers. It is expected that the Belgian parliament will pass laws this year that will essentially allow foreign providers to compete in the local market.
With regards to the Dutch market, the report revealed a surprising fact. While it is generally presumed that the state and its controlled operators have been successful against any moves to allow private companies to enter the market, in fact several sectors of the gambling industry are actually more liberalized than was previously thought. It was shown, for example, that the privately owned Novamedia runs several major lotteries in the Netherlands, with other examples also being highlighted in the report. All in all, it was shown that both countries are showing promising results when it comes to liberalization of their online gambling markets.
Lucky Player Scoops $2.5-million Jackpot
A lucky player from the Netherlands, known only as Ren S., couldn’t believe his good fortune when he won over $2.5-million in a mega-jackpot hit while playing online. Ren became one of the biggest winners of an online jackpot when he played at 32 Vegas casino last week. In an interview, Ren explained how he had been playing at the casino when he decided to quit his gaming session for the day. However, at the last moment, without any warning, he found himself staring at a jackpot win on the screen. In fact, he needed to call his best friend to confirm the win. It took a call from a 32 Vegas casino representative to finally convince Ren that he had indeed won this amazing amount. The last million dollar win on this site was in 2006 when 32 Vegas gave away $2-million in a jackpot windfall.
Ren, a budding artist, already has his eyes set on setting up a painting studio and thus fulfilling a life long dream. He also intends fixing up his house, purchasing a new car and sharing his good fortune with others in his life.
Casino Tropez Grabs Top Awards
Gambling Online Magazine, the popular casino resource guide, announced the winners of its annual awards in the gambling industry. After hundreds of thousands of players cast their vote, it was announced that the titles of Best Mobile Casino and Best Online Casino were awarded to Casino Tropez, a Playtech powered site. The awards were presented in London, England.
A spokesperson for Casino Tropez expressed delight with the win and explained why the site deserved the title. Players enjoyed a host of new promotions and incentives at Casino Tropez during the course of last year, including an incredible $3000 welcome bonus, the initiation of a lucrative new player’s club and innovative bonus features that alert players about new promotions directly to their desktops. All in all, a more personal touch all around was definitely the site’s emphasis during 2007 and these efforts obviously paid off. The site’s customer support is considered one of the best in the industry, with player getting assistance in seven different languages around the clock through live chat, email and toll free telephone numbers.