Archive for February, 2012

New Promotion from All Slots

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

All Slots online casino is asking ‘How Do You Do It?’. In this case, the casino operator is referring to playing online slots, as part of a promotion. To enter this unique contest, players at All Slots casino simply need to take a photo of themselves playing All Slots Mobile in an interesting situation or location.

The prize of the competition is quite unique. Rather than giving away cash bonuses, All Slots is offering an iPad 2 to the winner. So, the lucky player who wins the contest will be able to play at All Slots mobile using a brand new, innovative mobile device.

Entering into this promotion is certainly worth it, as it requires very little initial investment. Whereas online casinos usually ask players to deposit cash, this one does not. All the player has to do is take a photo and send it in to the online casino operator.

We are excited to see the winning entries, as we are sure there are going to be some very interesting photos. There will also be consolation prizes for the runner-ups in the form of cash bonuses.

Paddy Power in Trouble for Gambling Ad

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Over the course of the past month, residents of the UK have been making a wide range of complaints about gambling advertisements. While most of them simply concern the vast number of ads that appear on television, some of them are more specific. This time, Paddy Power has been singled out, after airing an advertisement that has been deem discriminatory against transgendered people.

The commercial advertises Ladies Night at Cheltenham. Paddy Power asks viewers to “tell the stallions from the mares”, mixing some transgendered women into the racing day crowd. During the advertisement, several women are shown as the voiceover guesses “man” or “woman”.

Channel 4 has pulled the advertisements as many complaints were made about the commercial being transphobic. Several advocacy groups filed complaints with the gambling commission, Channel Four and Clearcast – and Channel 4 decided it would be best if it no longer aired the ad.

According to Clearcast, the advertisement was screened and approved by a local transgendered advocacy group. However, that has not stopped transgendered individuals from across the country from being outraged.

There is no word yet on whether or not the actual Ladies Day event will be cancelled.

Gala Coral Moving Offshore

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

The UK Gambling Commission has just received word that Gala Coral is planning on taking its online gambling operations offline. The company has recently announced that it simply cannot compete with existing offshore gambling operators and have decided to bite the bullet.

This will mean that the last major UK gambling operator has finally left the market. Ladbrokes, William Hill and now Gala Coral will have now left the country for greener pastures. This comes as a huge disappointment to the UK Gambling Commission; however, it seems to be the motivation that the government needs in order to ensure that the government passes its new laws concerning the taxation of offshore operators.

Local reports indicate that, because the UK government does not tax offshore operators, the country is missing out on over £300 million gambling tax revenue. Because a portion of these profits go to social programs, the country as a whole is losing out.

The new legislation aimed at taxing offshore operators will receive a second hearing on March 30, 2012. With the news of Gala Coral leaving the country, it is likely that the bill will receive a great deal of support.

Diamond Edition Revolutionizes Online Gaming

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Microgaming is a trend-setter when it comes to online gambling, always searching for new ways to impress online casino players. Now, with its new Diamond Edition live dealer software, the company is bound to revolutionize the way gamers play in the online world.

One of the best features of the new software offering is players are able to view their dealers in HD video. This is a huge deal for the online gambling market, as most face-to-face gaming is broadcast via webcam, meaning choppy videos and a great deal of lag. Those technical issues are a thing of the past with Microgaming’s new live dealer software, as dealer video will come in clear using the new Diamond Edition technology.

Diamond Edition software will also mean that live players from around the online gambling market will be able to have multiplayer roulette games. This is the first time that any live dealer software offers players the ability to take part in multiplayer games, a huge step for the online gambling market.

Microgaming is pleased to announce the introduction of this new software, as it marks a huge advancement in the online gaming market. It is likely that other casino operators will adopt similar software in the future.

Ladbrokes Generates £13 Billion in Bets

Friday, February 17th, 2012

In 2011, Ladbrokes generated £13 billion in wagers, but the company has mixed feelings about its performance over the course of the past year. While $13 million in bets is a huge amount of money, Ladbrokes still saw a decline in gambling revenue.

This marks the first time in 2 years that the company has seen a decline in profits. Ladbrokes blames a recent influx of unfavourable bets for the drop in revenue, as several sporting upsets saw the company pay out more in winnings than normal.

The online division is where Ladbrokes saw the biggest decline. Profits dropped over 12% in the online gambling market for Ladbrokes, despite the company having recently moved offshore to lower its tax requirements.

The company’s land-based division seems to be doing much better, however. Online gambling profits rose by 2.1% while revenue generated by gaming machines was up an incredibly 19%. Ladbrokes states that more younger clients are visiting betting shops, with more disposable income to spending on fruit machines and sportsbetting.

As such, the company has planned to expand its land-based market. Ladbrokes has announced plans to open 60 new betting shops across the country, taking advantage of its beneficial place in the over-the-counter betting industry.

Genting to Work with Fournier for Poker Series

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

The Genting Poker Tour is one of the most exciting events in the UK poker world, attracting a wide range of players from across the country. The tour hits a number of stops around England and Ireland, offering players a chance to compete for amazing cash prizes.

When it comes to behind the scenes action, however, the biggest winners are those that partner up with poker tournament operators. As such, one of the most profitable deals a card manufacturer can take part in is one with a casino operator like Genting.

Genting has announced that Fournier will be the official supplier of cards for the upcoming tournament, an exciting deal for both parties. Fournier was a front-runner for the position, as the company already supplies cards to Genting’s land-based casinos, offering them a competitive edge.

Fournier has proven itself to be a trustworthy brand over the years. Genting reports that the cards they’ve used have never been faulty or defective. In large tournaments, this is very important, as marked cards can lead to cheating.

The next leg of the Genting Poker Tour will take place on March 25 at London’s Fox Poker Club. The tour will also hit stops in Edinburgh, Sheffield and Stoke.

PokerStars Launches Mobile Gambling Application

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

Today, PokerStars has released a new mobile poker application, available for a wide range of smartphone and tablet computer devices. It is the first real-money application of its kind, making PokerStars somewhat of a revolutionary in the mobile gaming market.

Zynga and other online gaming operators have previously launched mobile poker applications; however, none of them offer players the ability to play for real cash prizes. As such, PokerStars’ app is the first real-money mobile poker application, providing players with the ability to win real money while playing games on their mobile phones.

Several different games will be available on the application, including Texas Hold’Em and Omaha. Pot Limit, No Limit and Hi Lo variations will all be available to users. Players will also be able to take part in tournaments.

Players can also access some of PokerStars most useful online features, including hand histories and multitabling. As such, PokerStars had made it so its mobile application is no different from its mobile application. Of course, there are still some features that have been left out, but as it stands, the new mobile application is a great mobile substitute for online play.

Poker Stars Receives Online Gambling License in Belgium

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

Now that Full Tilt Poker is pretty much out of the picture, Poker Stars seems to be taking over the online poker trade. Ever since Black Friday, the company has been working hard to regain its stellar reputation as one of the world’s best online poker websites –and it seems to be paying off, as Poker Stars has just secure an online poker deal in Belgium.

In agreement with the country’s gambling laws, Poker Stars will have to adopt a new URL: pokerstars.be. This way, the local gaming commission can ensure that all players on the site are located directly within the country and abide by its gaming laws.

The Belgian Gaming Commission is exciting to announce granting the new license to Poker Stars, seeing it as big step forward for the local gambling market. Now, players across Belgium will have access to one of the biggest and best online poker sites in the world.

Belgium is one of the latest countries to open up its online poker market to international operators, making this a hugely beneficial deal for Poker Star, as well. Being one of the initial licensees in the country gives Poker Stars a competitive edge in the market, opening up plenty of online gaming opportunities.

UK Gambling Commission Requests Changes to ‘Red or Black’ Gameshow

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Simon Cowell’s new television gameshow ‘Black or Red’ has come under fire recently for glamourizing the activity of gambling. The UK Gambling Commission has thus requested that a few changes be made to the game’s format.

‘Red or Black’ premiered last year on primetime television. Competitors gained the chance to play the game live on television by purchasing lottery tickets for just £1. Once one the show, the competitors witnessed stunts and situations and were required to guess the outcome: either Red or Black.

Over the course of the show’s first season four people walked away with the £1 million grand prize, a fact which caused the UK gambling commission to worry. Participants were not required to do or risk very much in order to win these generous prizes, casting an unrealistic light on the world of gambling.

As such, the UK Gambling Commission has requested that the show change its format before beginning to film the next series. The commission hopes that the show’s producers will require players to show some degree of skill in order to win prizes; otherwise, legal action may be taken.

Rank Group Bids for Gala Casinos

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Rank Group is on a mission to become the biggest casino operator in Europe. Its recent £250 million bid for Gala Casinos has demonstrated just how serious the operator is about acquiring the established UK casino brand.

Rank Group recently issued a statement about the process. The document cleared up any questions that employees and the general public might have about the potential acquisition:

“Rank confirms that it is in discussions with Gala Coral Group about a potential acquisition of Gala’s casino business”, the statement said. “The terms of any such acquisition have not yet been finalized and there is no certainty that any transaction will occur”.

Should the acquisition be successful, Rank Group would own nearly 60 casinos across Europe. According to a source, Rank plans on revamping the image of Gala Casinos, making the brand more appealing to female gamers and those in the 20s.

This deal could potentially change the face of land-based gambling in the United Kingdom, as the merging of the two companies could create a new perspective on the industry. We will keep you updated with any further developments as they occur.