Gaming and Casino Industrial News 12.1.2009 all over the world

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Hop-On Showcases New Gambling Software
Company selects 2009 International CES in Las Vegas to demonstrate new technology, but reports Android platform delays

Interactive technology provider Hop-On has made good on its promise last year to launch interactive gambling software (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa report), demonstrating a Live, Interactive Gaming in Real Time product during the 2009 International CES in Las Vegas this weekend.

Exhibiting under the "WebCasinos.com" banner, Hop-On, the company hinted at hassles with the Android platform when president and CEO Peter Michaels, said: "We will be showcasing our Interactive Gaming software. The focus will be on the software, as we could not get the Flash to work at its best on the Android platform yet, and Java does not provide the quality that I am looking for.

"Our product is top notch, and gamers want the most life-like, realistic experience and I am not willing to give them anything less. Our software will run on Flash, we just need a bit more time to perfect the codes and sharpen the images.

"At this particular (CES) event, the software is what people are interested in anyways and it would do a real injustice to our product to display our software through the Android platform without it working at its best.

"Once we complete the Android OS, we will be going after the Apple OS and Windows OS for cell phones. The Live Interaction, the Real-Time gaming and the ability to chat with other bettors on-line while getting your cards from a live dealer will be what our software is all about!"

Hop-On will soon be licensing its Mobile Gaming Software in Europe, where gaming is legal, secure and regulated. New 3G wireless technologies and phones will play a big role in the growth of mobile gaming by making it more convenient and secure, the company predicts.

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Affiliate Forum War Continues (Update)
A good time to jaw-jaw and not war-war?

The animosity between Casino Affiliate Programs and the Gambling Portal Webmaster Association managements was much in evidence Friday following the video display of one principal management member's home address as recorded on a public document in a video show published on YouTube by APCW, an associate of Casino City, which owns the GPWA.

The video report appeared to be attempting to connect CAP with the controversial CardSpike.com poker site in an ownership sense, a bitter bone of contention between the two affiliate community organisations. It briefly showed a public document detailing a company called Effective Media, although it is not yet clear exactly how the dots are connected to ownership of the troubled operational poker site.

CAP management has strongly denied any beneficial ownership interest in CardSpike.

The video elicited an angry public response from CAP management at http://www.casinoaffiliateprograms.com/bb/showthread.php?t=33203, protesting at the publication of a home address.

Having been viewed by some 207 YouTube visitors, the video was then taken down on the directions of GPWA executive director Michael Corfman, who explained in a forum posting at http://www.gpwa.org/forum/apcw-perspectives-friday-01-09-09-a-178452.html that the publication of the home address, whilst stemming directly from a public document, was inadvertent and inappropriate. He advised that the video would be taken down and suitably edited to remove the offending address before it was again published.

At press time the video had been removed.

The relationship between the two competing affiliate organisations has showed public signs of marked deterioration recently, with forum attacks and claims of law suits - one for $1.5 million. There can be little doubt that the confrontational situation that presently exists is doing more harm than good to both sides, with members becoming increasingly alarmed at the direction in which affairs appear to be headed.

One non-aligned affiliate exec posted the same opinion on both sites Saturday, outlining why the disputes are bad for business and the industry. In a nutshell, the message was: "I'm going to go ahead and say what I believe the majority of us are thinking...ENOUGH ALREADY!"

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Bleak November For Nevada Land Casinos
Another decline in business reported - down almost 15 percent

The Nevada state Gaming Control Board issued its latest statistics for land casinos Friday, making for depressing weekend reading. Winnings dropped almost 15 percent in November - the eleventh consecutive month of declining business compared with similar periods in 2007, reports Associated Press.

Nevada monthly gambling win for November 2008 was posted at $836.8 million - down from more than $982 million on November 2007. The state's coffers were hit in terms of lost taxes amounting to a 27 percent drop at $44.4 million.

Control Board analyst Frank Streshley said: "It's the economy, the big decline in the stock market and people tightening up on their spending. The state is having a difficult time with (tourist) visitation and the amount of money being spent by those who do come."

Associated Express explains that "Win" is a gross figure, with no operating costs or other expenses deducted. It represents casino revenue only, not hotel, restaurant or bar revenues.

Gamblers wagered $11.8 billion during the month, including $9.7 billion in slot machine bets and the balance on table games. The betting total is down nearly 12 percent from a year ago.

Declines during November were experienced in every major market in the state, including the Las Vegas Strip which was down 16 percent.

Elsewhere in southern Nevada, Laughlin was off 18.1 percent, downtown Las Vegas dipped 1.6 percent, Mesquite was down 8.8 percent, the Boulder Strip was down 16.4 percent, and North Las Vegas was down 1.8 percent.

In northern Nevada, clubs in Washoe County, which takes in Reno, were down 15.2 percent. That's the 17th consecutive month of declines for the area.

Resorts on Lake Tahoe's south shore reported a 4.7 percent decrease in November compared with the same month a year earlier.

A statewide breakdown shows that slots were off 15.2 percent while table games were down 14.3 percent compared with November 2007.

Slots accounted for $558.1 million of the total win. That included $259.3 million won by multidenomination slots, down 10.2 percent. Penny slots were second with a win of $136.5 million, up 4.3.

Live games, including poker, accounted for the balance of the November total. That included $85.2 million won on blackjack tables, down 16.6 percent; $34.3 million on craps, down 12 percent; and $23.5 million on roulette, down 20 percent.

The win on baccarat was $39.8 million, down 29 percent; and the win on mini-baccarat was $8.9 million, down 16 percent.

Sports books won $27.2 million, up 54.6 percent. Poker games won $12 million, down 5.7 percent.

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Google U.K. Adword Policy - Affiliates To Benefit
Bidding now extended to affiliates

The liberating move last year by Google UK (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa reports) which saw the opening of Adwords bidding to online gambling companies, has been extended to allow UK affiliate marketers, enabling them to bid on gambling terms," eGaming Review reports this week.

Google originally lifted its long-standing global ban on pay-per-click (PPC) advertising by UK gambling companies in November 2008, but affiliates were unable to enter the bidding for the top spots.

EGR reports that companies are currently making adjustments to relevant affiliate policies, including Google's review of positive and negative keyword lists which show what and what not to bid on.

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New Chief For Svenska Spel
Experienced home decor and furnishing exec to start February 1st

The Swedish government's gambling monopoly Svenska Spel has appointed its new Chief Executive Officer, ending a search that started in the middle of last year with the resignation from the post of Jesper Kärrbrink. The new incumbent, who commences her duties on February 1st 2009, is Meta Persdotter, formerly CEO of Swedish houseware and home furnishing company Duka AB.

Prior to her two years with Duka, Persdotter was sales and marketing manager at Stadium and held management positions at Ikea.

Welcoming Persdotter to the company, Svenksa Spel chairperson Margareta Winberg said, "We're very pleased to be able to present Meta Persdotter as Svenska Spel's new CEO.

"She has an excellent background in commerce and broad experience of developing both organisations and individuals, as well as customer service and various consumer-oriented business operations. These experiences, combined with excellent personal leadership qualities, will be extremely valuable to Svenska Spel."

Persdotter said she was excited and inspired by the challenges ahead. "Svenska Spel is a very strong brand with a presence in Swedish society that few other companies can match. This is a position that we must be proud of, at the same time making sure that we improve it as best we can.

"I want Svenska Spel to continue to represent a healthy balance between exciting, entertaining games and measures to prevent various kinds of gaming-related problems," explained Persdotter.

"We must also be equipped at all times to develop and improve our product range and our operations, so that we meet the demands that our customers and a changing world place on a company of Svenska Spel's calibre."

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Tasmanian Tote May Be Worth A$100 Million
Betfair considers Tote option after state government announces intention to sell

The news that the Tasmanian government has started a process to divest itself of the Tasmanian Tote (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa report) has been followed by a story on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network that online betting exchange Betfair, which has a joint venture with a major betting group in Australia, may be interested in bidding.

Tasmanian Opposition and Greens Party politicians have reacted angrily to the announcement of the intention to sell, pointing to comments made by state treasurer, Michael Aird late last year that a sale was not planned.

Financial analyst Tom Ellison told ABC that he would expect Tote to fetch up to A$100 million but questioned the government's timing. "It's probably the worst time to try and sell a business considering the global financial situation," he said, adding that a sale to Betfair would make sense.

"Tote already has an agency agreement with Betfair and certainly Betfair would be able to expand some of their Australian operations through Tote," he said, pointing out that Tabcorp is also a potential bidder.

Über Glücksspiele Las Vegas - Gambling in Las Vegas:

Las Vegas liegt im Westen der USA im Bundesstaat Nevada und ist das Glücksspiel-Paradies von Amerika.

Las Vegas hat rund 100 Spielcasinos. Im Bundesstaat Nevada sind sogar über 300 Spielcasinos registriert. Die grössten Casinos sind das Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Venetian / Palazzo, Wynn / Encore, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay.

Weitere bekannte Casinos sind das Mirage, frühere Heimat von Siegfried und Roy, das Luxor in Form einer Pyramide oder das Casino Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, in welchem jährlich die Pokerweltmeisterschaft (World Series of Poker WSOP) durchgeführt wird.

Die bekanntesten zwei Strassen sind der Las Vegas Boulevard, welcher auch als Las Vegas Strip bezeichnet wird. Daneben ist die Fremont Street eine gut besuchte Casino-Meile, wo beispielsweise das legendäre Casino Binion's (vormals Binion's Horseshoe) seine Spiele anbietet.

Las Vegas erstreckt sich über eine Fläche von 340 km2 und hat rund 650'000 Einwohner.

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Gaming and Casino Industrial News 12.1.2009 all over the world ---


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