Online Casino Gambling

Online poker rooms and online casinos are two separate digital entities. Online poker rooms allow players to compete against one another with the operator taking rake from each pot. Online casinos offer games where the player bets against the casino in games like roulette, blackjack and slots. Both types operate utilizing the same technological, legal and financial means which can affect one another. If a legal event occurs with regards to online gambling, all operators pay attention.

Seizure of Three Domains

On Friday, April 15^th, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice seized the domains of the three largest online poker room operators: Poker Stars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker. A warrant for the arrest of the owners has been issued along with a demand of $3 billion in penalties. However, the owners do not currently reside in the United States so they cannot be taken into custody at this time.

UIGEA 2006

The Department of Justice enforced this indictment under UIGEA 2006. One of the charges held against the operators is conducting illegal online gambling with the most severe being bank fraud and money laundering. According to the UIGEA, the funding of illegal gambling is a criminal offense therefore, since payments have been made from the casino to players, these operators are violating the law.

Payment Processors and the UIGEA

Due to this section of UIGEA, most online banks are weary of making financial transactions with online gambling sites. The payment processors used for financial transactions in the incident claimed to be online merchants that purchase various types of physical merchandise. According to legal experts, these are the primary aspects of the transactions that can get gambling operators into trouble.

Reaction from the Online Community

Of course the actions taken by the Department of Justice have been condemned by the online gambling community. The three poker rooms at fault have not yet released any type of statement. Additionally, no statements have been made from other online poker rooms that allow U.S.-based players. Legal professionals are advising players to wait and keep an eye on this situation.

This event was not unexpected as online gaming software providers Playtech and Cryptologic and payment processor Neteller all withdrew from the American market when the UIGEA was enacted in 2006. Microgaming followed two years later after the Kentucky domain name case began. It is unpredictable as to whether this particular event will cause additional flight by operators from the online gambling industry.

Top Trumps Celebs is a new slot game recently released by Playtech, a leading online gaming software developer. This game is slightly different than other slot games in that it is played with cards featuring sport and entertainment celebrities. Playtech previously released two other versions that were based on soccer, released in time for the 2010 World Cup.

Celebrity Symbols

The symbols in the game consist of high value cards and celebrities. Players are given the option of selecting which celebrities they would like to see on the reels. The wild symbol is represented by the most famous celebrities on the list with the default being Elvis. Other options include, James Dean, Brad Pitt and Madonna. This icon awards a maximum of 10,000 coins if hit.

Selectable celebrities that act as regular symbols include, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Leonardo Di Caprio, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Liz Hurley and Beyonce. The icons feature high resolution photographs for the celebrity ensuring all players will be able to view their Hollywood favorites.

A Lack of Animation

One downside to this game is the entire lack of animation. Playtech assumed that the large number of celebrity photographs on the screen is enough to keep the adrenaline pumping. The red carpet is the bonus symbol which is triggered when the icon appears on the first and last reels.

The Bonus Game

In the bonus game, sixteen celebrities appear on the red carpet and the player must select three celebrities who will uncover the associated cash prizes. At random, any celebrity could unveil the Extra Pick with an associated cash prize which allows the player to select an additional choice.

The Free Spins Round

Top Trumps Celebs also boasts a free spins round which is activated by hitting three Top Trumps symbols on any of the reels. The Red Carpet bonus game cannot be triggered but the free spins round can be reactivated an unlimited number of times. Furthermore, the game has the Playtech Gamble feature which allows players to stake their winnings in a double or nothing game. The player must select the color of the next card to win.

Top Trumps Celebs is currently available at all Playtech-powered online casinos. This new slot game is innovative and fun. However, the lack of animation leaves something missing. Stop by one of many Playtech casinos to participate.

During the week of April 4^th, 2011, Washington, D.C. became the first jurisdiction in the United States to legalize online gambling. Washington Mayor Vincent C. Gray signed a law approving the city’s budget for 2011 which included revenues from online gambling organizations. Congress had a time period to object to the plan but has since expired. Since then the Executive Director of the D.C. Lottery has developed plans for the implementation of online gambling.

Operated by the D.C. Lottery

The activity would fall under the jurisdiction of the D.C. Lottery which has created a contract with Intralot USA that would split the revenue with them 50-50. In turn, Intralot will be managing and operating the online gambling website which is scheduled to go live July 1^st, 2011 for free play.

Full Participation by the End of 2011

Residents of Washington D.C. will be able to participate in real money games by September 1^st, 2011 at a number of “hot spots” across the city. There will be an estimated 30 hot spots which allow players to gamble. One such location is the Convention Center. Other likely localities include bars, clubs and hotels. However, to place bets players would be required to bring their own computers.

Location is the Major Issue for in-house Gaming

Before online gambling in D.C. reaches player’s residences, there is one major hurdle to overcome: location. Administrators must be sure that they have the technology to restrict online gambling to those living in the Washington, D.C. city limits. This technology is expected to be implemented by the end of 2011.

An Interview with Mayor Gray

Mayor Gray told the Washington Post that many D.C. residents already engage in online gambling with the profits being sent to overseas companies. Therefore, the objective of the passing of this bill is to provide regulated online gambling thus keeping the profits in the United States while giving the city its fair share of financial benefits. The implementation of online gambling is expected to show the generation of $13.1 million in revenue between 2012 and 2014.

Since Washington, D.C. is the city that politically runs the United States, this is a major breakthrough for the online gambling community. If this endeavor is successful, other cities across the United States are sure to follow suit. This could be the beginning of the full regulation of online gambling in the United States.

In March 2011, industry-leading online gaming software provided Cryptologic released its annual financial results. Shortly after, the organization hired Deloitte to conduct a strategic review of the company. Cryptologic indicated that this review could ultimately lead to the sale of the business, however, no discussions or agreements were currently underway.

Amaya Purchasing a 5 Percent Stake

Following this announcement was unconfirmed news that Amaya had acquired a 5 percent stake in Cryptologic prior to an acquisition bid. Based out of Canada, Amaya is an online gaming company that is active in the Kenyan market. Amaya recently acquired an online gaming license from the Dominican Republic jurisdiction and is planning to launch an online gaming site featuring a variety of casino games in the third quarter of 2011.

The Filing of an SC13D Notification

This unconfirmed news was finally confirmed the week of April 11^th when Amaya notified the stock exchange of this strategic move. On April 15^th, 2011 Amaya filed an SC13D notification which is a report of the acquisition of 5 percent ownership of a company. Amaya purchased 652, 170 shares of Cryptologic for slightly over 1 million USD. This is typically the beginning phase of an acquisition.

The Chief Executive and President of Amaya filed the statement to the stock exchange. The shares of Cryptologic were purchased between March 25^th, 2011 and April 7^th, 2011 at an average price of $1.65. The stock was purchased to facilitate a possible strategic transaction with Cryptologic. The executive further stated in the notification that Amaya is keeping all options open and will continue to monitor business performance and activity.

Playtech’s Purchasing Rampage

At the same time, Cryptologic’s largest competitor, Playtech, is on a purchasing rampage. The latest company in their scope is London-based online gaming provider, Ash Gaming. Media reports that Playtech is on the brink of an acquisition. This purchase is a strategy move to complement Gaming Technology Solution’s (also acquired by Playtech) EdGE platform which is currently used with several of Ash Gaming’s top games.

The acquisition of Cryptologic could be excellent for specific entities in the online gambling industry, especially Playtech and other online software developers. Since Cryptologic, Microgaming and Playtech are constantly competing to be the most popular developer, removing Cryptologic from the race could significantly improve the other two company’s profits depending on the direction Amaya plans to take the company.

Originally scheduled for March 2011, Leprechaun’s Luck online slot game arrived at Virgin Casino approximately one month late. Developed by Ash Gaming, Leprechaun’s Luck is now part of Virgin Casino’s portfolio of featuring the best slot games in the industry. One of the biggest advantages of the game is the progressive jackpot that can only be won by Virgin Casino players.

The leprechaun guides the player through the slot game journey. In the introductory clip, he explains the various features and controls of the game. At the end, the leprechaun asks the players about their favorite color and allows them to select from black, white, green and purple. The game setting is similar to other Irish-themed online slot games with the reels set to a sylvan background. The symbols on the reel include:

• Toadstool
• Harp
• Ale
• Colorful high value cards
• Leprechaun’s Luck logo
• Pot of gold
• Wishing well symbol
• Leprechaun

The Leprechaun’s Luck logo provides a jackpot of 10,000 coins. The pot of gold icon acts as the bonus symbol in which three or more activate the Rainbow of Wealth bonus game. The rules of the game are simple. Players must click Spin and advance the number of steps displayed. Players then collect the bonus depending on where they land.

Gameplay continues until the Collect button is pressed or the pot of gold is reached. Each number is associated with a rainbow color. If players are able to collect all colors prior to the end of the game, they are awarded the progressive jackpot. This allows for the bonus to be quite large.

A second bonus game is also built-in to the software. If the wishing well symbol appears in the middle of the reel, the Wishing Well bonus game is activated. This game entails a bucket being lowered into a well and collecting bonus credits. If gold is found, players will win the progressive jackpot.

The leprechaun represents the scatter symbol which triggers the free spins round. With this feature, the leprechaun dances across all reels, randomly selecting symbols and changing them into wild icons which remain locked throughout the free spins round.

Leprechaun’s Luck online slot game is a fun and exciting game that features visually attractive graphics and crisp sound effects. The game is already one of the most popular games at Virgin Casino, despite its recent release.

In the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, the Minister indicated six months ago that they were considering the legalization of online gambling. During the week of April, 11^th, 2011, the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation, a government-owned land-based gaming operator, announced they are prepared to join British Columbia and Quebec to implement an online gambling system.

The Reintroduction of Online Gambling

This idea has been reintroduced as a result of a subpar financial performance from the corporation over the past year. In 2010, the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation recorded a net income 15 percent below the target. A report issued by the corporation stated that, although the revenues are expected to continue as planned in 2011, the company’s future is unsure without the introduction of online gambling.

Conducting Studies

The leader of the corporation released to the public that they are only in the phase of studying the idea and have not yet committed to the online gambling industry. The primary concern among province leaders is that the gaming money is being taken elsewhere and therefore cannot be reinvested in the infrastructure of the area. This is one positive aspect of land-based casinos.

Playnow’s Shutdown

In other Canadian news, there have been concerns regarding the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s online casino operator Playnow. In 2010, the online gaming site was forced to shut down in less than a day of launching as a result of a security breach. In March 2011, the Senior Corporation I.T. Executive resigned from his position causing continued issues for the casino operator.

Messages from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation

A representative from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation confirmed that the departure of the I.T. executive was unrelated to the security breach. The executive also stepped down from his position with the Gaming Standards Association in British Columbia. This was a forced resignation due to the rules regarding employment by each organization. Until these announcements, the Canadian media was in a frenzy.

It appears as if the Canadian Government and subsequent gambling entities need online gambling for additional money to assist each province with improvements. If Saskatchewan is interested in implementing a system, it is in their best interest to utilize the models set forth by many European countries. It appears as if British Columbia is not off to a good start. Hopefully the province will bounce back and become a leader in online gambling in Canada.