Thanks to developments in software made by International Game Technology (IGT), an online casino games and systems industry leader, this classic, straightforward and enjoyable game can now be played on smartphones and other mobile touch-screen operated devices. These include the Apple iPad and iPhone and also many Android devices.

IGT’s software allows player’s to bet as little as £0.25 and as much as £50 on each hand. Upon winning a hand, players are given the opportunity to play the new “Double-Up Gamble” feature. Here, the player may select “collect,” “black” or “red.” Making the correct selection will both double player’s winnings and offer another opportunity to play. 

IGT are extremely pleased with their product. The company’s Vice-President, Alex Kelly, believes the Jacks or Better smartphone product will “add significant value” to the “mobile portfolio” of any online casino operator.

Paddy Power Casino is one online operator who has added Jacks or Better to their stable of games. At Paddy Power currently, a Royal Flush in Jacks or Better pays out £4,000, while any two pairs equals double pay.

iGaming Super Show 2011

From May 24-26 this year, a wide variety of members of the online casino and gambling industry will set up base in the Dublin, Ireland. From online casino operators to regulators, software producers to casino vendors: anyone with their finger on the pulse of the online gambling industry will be in the Irish capital city.

Each of these industry members will all be in town for the same reason: the 2011 iGaming Supershow conference.

The iGaming Supershow has a dual appeal for industry members: it represents an opportunity to network and discuss prospective business opportunities, while simultaneously representing an opportunity to party the Supershow’s numerous happy hour social events.

This winning combination proved hugely successful at the 2010’s conference in Prague, yet the iGaming Supershow is expected to up its game even more in Dublin this year. Indeed, the 2011 event is set to include around 2,500 industry delegates and 150 stands and offer a number of conference streams and speed networking opportunities. Moreover, 2011’s event will host an invite only exclusive VIP conference and a 50^th birthday celebration for the founder of the online gaming brand Bodog, Calvin Ayre.

The event receives excellent degree of support from a number of company’s. The official sponsors of the iGaming Supershow 2011 are DublinBet and their affiliates, yet the event also boast renown industry brands such as Victor Chandler, Betfair, Bwin, and 888.com among its roster of sponsors and partners.

Those who register for the Supershow before May 9 will gain free entry. To register, simply visit the show’s official website and fill out an online registration form.

Poker Stars

Las Vegas and the online poker market — two parties who both strongly advocate the legalization and regulation of online poker in the USA — will have been roused by reports this week that the world renown online Poker site PokerStars and the Las Vegas casino company Wynn Resorts have recently joined forces and are set to work together as a team to lobby for the legalization and regulation of online poker in the United States.

Steve Wynn, the owner of Wynn Resorts Ltd, has been quoted as saying that legalization and regulation for online gaming represents the only truly sensible progressive option. 

Online poker is currently the single most played game in the online game market: a market which takes in approximately $25 billion per year. Of this $25 billion total, 20% is generated by players in the US.

Wynn has argued that legalizing and regulating an industry which generates such large taxable sums as soon as possible would benefit the US hugely at a time when the country’s funds are currently in great need of replenishment. Moreover, Wynn claims a legalized and regulated online poker industry would create a vast amount of new jobs and could therefore play a part in reviving the US from its present economic slump.

PokerStars, Wynn’s new partners, are in complete agreement with Wynn and are also eager to make their plans for a legalized and regulated online poker industry come to fruition.

Currently, there is much optimism among advocates of legalized online poker that this may soon be the case. Indeed, recently moves have been made to reach agreements between online operators and land-based casinos in New Jersey and Nevada. However, although things may currently look promising, it is only after the proposed bills are passed as laws that such optimism will have been seen to have been justified.

These published statistics revealed Italy’s total turnover for January and February of this year to be sizeable €11.6 billion. After the first two months of last year, revenue had reached €10.02 billion. Accordingly, the figures show that in 2011 the Italian online gaming industry has seen a 15.8 percent increase when compared to the previous year.

The AMMS figures also show that Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) have gained a high degree of popularity in Italy and have consequently had a strong influence on the Italian marketplace. Indeed, VLTs, which are essentially computerised slot machines, were only introduced in Italy in February. However, of the total €5.73 billion revenue generated in that month, a massive €719 million can be attributed to VLTs.

Bingo was the next biggest taker behind VLTs with €156 million.

The AMMS statistics once more reveal Italy to be the European leader when it comes to online gambling. And this is understandably so; Italy was the first significantly sized European mainland country to permit regulated private online gambling.

Moreover, Italy looks set to maintain its elite status. Indeed, the Italian marker could also be set to open up even further after the Italian government passed a new online gaming regulation which now permits online casino operators to offer customers the chance to play online poker and other online casino games.

Macau casinos

Las Vegas is no longer be the official gambling capital of the world — that title currently belongs to Macau, China — but it is most certainly the gambling capital of the USA. Indeed, the world-famous city of sin is still home to many of the biggest casinos operating stateside: casinos which draw in millions of visitors every year, generating large amounts of revenue for a variety of Nevada city businesses.

However, while it is these tangible, real-life casinos which contribute a great deal to both the allure and economy of Las Vegas at present, the city’s casinos are also making plans to move into the virtual, online gambling world.

Currently, online gambling, which is a multi-billion dollar industry, is illegal in the USA. However, despite its illegal status in the US, a sizeable percentage of the online gambling industry’s massive profits are generated by US game players who play on the web via online casinos hosted overseas. The casinos of Las Vegas are eager to find a way to keep this online gaming cash within America’s shores.

One such way is the intrastate online gambling bill: a bill which casinos in the state of New Jersey are currently lobbying their governor, Chris Christie, to sign and have been doing so for some time.

Nevada is now treading a similar path to New Jersey by proposing a system which would allow gamers who reside outside of Nevada’s state lines to bet online. Specifically, Nevada is proposing a $500k license fee charge, with a $250k renewal fee paid each year.

Christie originally cancelled proposed legislation which would allow online gambling. However, a senate and assembly vote aiming to decide whether blackjack, online poker and a variety of other casino games should be legalized ended with a 32-2 and 63-11 result, respectively. Consequently, regardless of Governor Christie’s clear resistance to the idea of legalized internet gambling in New Jersey, legislation which advocates just that may eventually get pushed through.

Stationed in Mediterranean, having recently been authorized by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta (LGA), the Grand Duke is set to become one of the most highly regarded online casinos currently around.

The Grand Duke will boast an excellent level of customer support services and a high class VIP and bonus program. Patrons of the casino, particularly, can expect to receive first class treatment. Indeed, patrons will experience extremely generous sign-up bonuses and promotions, including a huge €7,000 bonus.

Moreover, as a result of the recent Playtech and Integra Gaming deal, the Grand Duke Casino will allow all visitors to experience Playtech’s innovative 3D gaming platform and will grant visitors access to over 150 of Playtech’s high quality online casino games. Again, the preferences of individual customers are of paramount concern at the Grand Duke Casino; accordingly, each Playtech casino game which will be available in two optional formats: an instant-play flash format and a full-casino download.

eCOGRA

eCOGRA (the e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) is an online gambling industry standards body which assesses online casino operators and associated companies in regards to player protection, customer care, and fair gaming standards.

Since its formation in 2003, the reputation of eCOGRA has grown steadily. Indeed, many online gamers now view the eCOGRA Safe and Fair seal — which eCOGRA awards to online casinos that are deemed to meet their specific required gaming standards — as a clear signifier of a casino operator’s credibility.

Many renowned and respected brands, such as Ladbrokes, PartyGaming and 888, have all received the eCOGRA Safe and Fair seal.      

Recently, eCOGRA has been the subject of a management buy-out deal. As a result of this buy-out, the ownership structure of the industry standards body is set to change. Specifically, this new ownership structure will see eCOGRA achieve a new level of independence, since software and service providers will no longer be a part of eCOGRA’s setup.

Under the terms of the management buyout, eCOGRA will instead be run by a board of independent directors: namely, Frank Catania, Michael Hirst OBE, Bill Henbrey, Bill Galston OBE, and Andrew Beveridge.      

Beveridge, who will assume the role of Chief Executive, recently described eCOGRA’s ongoing goals as a including wish to stay at “the forefront of establishing Industry standards” and “become a major force in helping shape new gaming regulations” within those newly emerging “national or state regulatory regimes around the world.”

Bulgaria Flag

In recent months, Bulgaria, the youngest member of the European Union, has begun to gain much notoriety within the European gambling industry.

Last month, for example, a number of European casino operators — both online and land-based — voiced their objections to Bulgarian plans to create a law which would ban all gambling advertising nationally. The operators criticized the proposal, describing the law as unbalanced, unfair, and prejudiced against the gambling industry.

Furthermore, last month also saw representatives of the Bulgarian Gaming Associations visit Strasbourg, France to lobby the European Gaming and Amusement Federation for enforced gambling regulation throughout the entire EU.

Now, Bulgaria’s notoriety is set to rise even higher: the Bulgarian government has recently made the European Commission aware of its proposals for another national gaming law which, if passed, will enforce new regulations for online gambling.

Currently, the status of each of Bulgaria’s new draught proposals is still undecided; whether or not the laws which these draughts propose will be successfully passed still remains to be seen. However, the proposals will certainly be a hot topic of discussion at this year’s annual Easter European Gaming Summit, which will take place in the capital city of Bulgaria, Sofia, on October 17-20.

At the summit, a number of gaming associations from throughout Europe will give presentations which aim to examine current key issues relevant to European gaming. Those within the gambling industry will be particularly interested to hear how those European countries who have recently legalized and regulated their online gambling industries — such as Lithuania and Estonia — view Bulgaria’s proposals.

Japan tsunami

In the wake of the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami which has had such a devastating effect on north-eastern Japan, many have been reaching into their pockets and giving whatever they can to help the distressed Japanese people.

JackpotCity Casino and its partners are no different. Indeed, less than a week after the natural disaster struck, the online casino website hosted a charity slots tournament for those in Japan. Within two days, the JackpotCity Casino tournament had raised $3,000 for aid agencies working in Japan, while also inspiring a number of other gaming operators to host their own similarly themed charity tournaments.

The funds have been warmly received by those in Japan, who have in turn communicated their sincere gratitude to those involved in the tournaments for all of their efforts and kindness. Specifically, one letter thanked the online gamblers and the casinos for their help, generosity, and for keeping the Japanese people in their “hearts and thoughts.”

The actions of the casinos, their gamers, the funds generated for aid, and letters of appreciation such as this, bear witness to the way in which online casino slots charity tournaments can have a positive effect on those in need.

Specifically, however, this second license belongs to The Nation Traffic SAS: the company who own the Titan.fr domain name. ARJEL awarded The Nation Traffic SAS with its first license back in the latter end of 2010, when the Titan.fr website was added to the iPoker Network: the world’s largest poker network created by the world’s leading gambling software developer, Playtech.

The Nation Traffic SAS is the first company to receive a second ARJEL license, and the ARJEL’s decision to award a second license should be accredited to the recent establishment of a Consultative Committee for the Implementation of the Monitoring Policy of Responsible Games and Gambling (Cojer). Indeed, formed by Jean-François Copé (the French Minister of Budget) with the aim of ensuring the safety, reliability, accountability, and integrity of all French online gaming, Cojer has thus far played a considerable part in the steady growth of the French online gambling industry.

Indeed, since the establishment of Cojer, the French gaming market has started to blossom. For example, legislation outlining the regulation of France’s online gambling marker has been drafted by Eric Woerth (the French Budget Minister). Furthermore, France has declared it willingness to, in accordance with European Union requirements, open up its market to competition.

Altogether, the Autorite De Regulation Des Jeuz En Ligne (ARJEL) has granted 17 licenses during 2010. These licenses were awarded to 11 separate gaming operators. The vast majority of these license holders are French; however, ARJEL have also awarded licenses to companies who are not originally based in France. Indeed, Austria’s bwin, Malta’s BetClic, and the Canadian company Everest Poker have each received licenses permitting them to take bets on ports betting, horse racing and online poker gaming.