Gaming and Casino Industrial News 23.1.2009 all over the world

23.01.2009, Lesen Sie hier den Bericht über «Gaming and Casino Industrial News all over the World».

Philippines Online Gambling Showing Great Profit
PhilWeb Corp. President Dennis Valdes expects to post big profits this year as the online gambling industry moves forward even in a slowing ecomomy. "The key driver of core net income continues to be our Philippine Gaming Corp. e-Games Cafés," Mr.Valdes said yesterday. Last year, the company opened 45 new cafés to end the year with 121 outlets. He also said their 2008 performance was not surprising since as early as the third quarter, the company had surpassed profits in 2007,double the profit in fact.

It is noted that while other businesses were slowly feeling the effects of the economic crisis, PhilWeb did not experience any slowdown in December, which turned out to be its strongest in company history, posting a quarter growth from a month earlier.

"There is also no slowdown in January, that is why we are optimistic that growth for this year will continue. Our customers are... insulated from the crisis and have the disposable income to participate in our games," Mr.Valdes stated. The corporation has expanded aggressively in their other games of chance Basketball Jackpot, Premyo Sa Resibo and Txtingo Super Singko. Basketball Jackpot is operated from a network of kiosks called Internet sports betting stations. The company has 149 stations.

Premyo Sa Resibo, meanwhile is a mobile raffle operated on behalf of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, while Txtingo Super Singko is a mobile lottery that gives participants a chance to win P10 million.Mr. Valdes said these had allowed the company to accumulate cash, which it would use to capitalize on other games that will fuel the company’s growth.

Analysts said it was understandable for gaming companies to have a positive outlook for 2009 since Filipinos always want to try their luck.The past year has turned out to be a record year for PhilWeb, making them optimistic that this trend will continue this year.

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I-Gambling Will Provide New Business for Isle of Man
The Isle of Man Today newspaper reported this week that internet gambling will provide new business and new jobs on the island in the near future.Over 360 jobs have been created in the last three years,with major names in online gambling setting up offices on the island.Currently there are 13 license holders with eight new licenses issued in 2008.The Gambling Supervision Commission have more than twenty applications at various stages of preparation and approval. Granted licenses were Fastbet and NYX Interactive.

Low duty rates on the Isle of Man in a climate of difficult times has attracted the larger well known brands to set up business on the island.Garth Kimber head of e-gaming development with the department of Trade and Industry stated that these companies are looking to change to and or set up in a new jurisdiction.

The location of the well known operators such as NYX Interactive and Fasbet to the Isle of Man has also created an interest from other new types of businesses that are offering their services to operators.These include companies locating their recovery systems in the data centres,as well as payment solutions firms.The result of the new growth is bucking the trend toward an economic slowdown. Microgaming, Pokerstars and Playtech have already moved onto the island stimulating the Isle of Man's new and booming on line gaming industry.This is good news for the islands inhabitants,as jobs in business management,marketing,technical and sales,are created.The trend is expected to continue in 2009 as more licences are granted and more companies find the Isle of Man an attractive place to locate their operations.

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Online Casino Producer Chartwell Appoints Richardson
An old hand returns in a new position @ Chartwell

The Canadian online casino gambling software provider Chartwell Technology Inc. has announced the return to the ranks as Chief Executive Officer of Lee Richardson. The experienced online gambling industry executive left his position as CEO of Chartwell Games in 2007, and returns to oversee the expanded international operations of Chartwell Games International Limited , including wider client services and operations, marketing, sales and business development functions.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Lee Richardson back to the Chartwell team” said Dave Acorn, Chief Operating Officer of Chartwell Technology Inc.

“As we focus on the rollout of our new products and expanded online casino client services, Lee’s extensive industry background, solid reputation and proven leadership skills will be a tremendous asset in building Chartwell's presence and will help develop new market areas for our unique business model and technology. He will also provide proven leadership to all our international staff in Malta, London and Singapore. With our expanded European presence we will now be able to fully utilize Lee’s skills and experience.”

Lee Richardson said he was very excited to be rejoining Chartwell at an important stage in its expansion. "The online casino gambling area is a fast-moving industry, and I intend to see that Chartwell, with its first-class people, products and services, gets more than its share of that growth.”

Lee Richardson holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow) and is a Fellow of the UK Chartered Institute of Marketing. His extensive industry experience includes his previous positions as Chief Operating Officer of Coral Eurobet, Managing Director of Totalbet.com, Managing Director of Tote Direct and Marketing Director of the British Horseracing Board.

He will report to directly to Dave Acorn, and will be based in Europe.

Richardson replaces Jim Godsell, who will leave the company to pursue other opportunities after two years in the post.

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Jon Kyl a continued adversary to online gambling?
Recent hearings designed to verify that US Attorney General Eric Holder is competent resulted in some questions being asked by Senator Jon Kyl pertaining to online gambling.

During the question period, US Attorney General Eric Holder was asked if he was planning to enforce policies surrounding access to online casinos, to which Mr. Holder replied he would.

It is speculated that while he replied he would enforce said regulations, that this was a necessary response to demonstrate that he would fulfill his newly appointed duties as Attorney General, and does not necessarily demonstrate any personal vendettas against the online gaming industry.

Pushing Holder further Kyl asked him if he would enforce midnight rules regarding payment transactions for online gambling sites, of recent concern for the UIGEA to which Kyl received the briefest of answers that he would.

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Macau seen halving jobs for foreigners
Manila - The effects of the world financial crisis will likely drive Asia's gaming capital, Macau, to halve the number of jobs open to foreign workers, the Blas F. Ople (BFO) Policy Center said Tuesday.

"The Macau administration is looking at a possible 50-percent reduction in foreign workers in private security and cleaning agencies for 2009. There is also some pressure for it to preserve high-paying jobs such as that of pit managers in casinos for jobless residents," Susan Ople, president of the BFO Policy Center, said in a statement.

"But so far, the Macau government has been adopting a wait-and-see attitude because they also need skilled foreign workers to remain competitive," she added.

It is still not clear how a job cut would affect the estimated 13,000 Filipino workers who live and work in Macau, although Ople acknowledged that a number of have already been sent home after big-ticket construction projects were temporarily shelved.

However, illegal recruiters continue to send workers to Macau despite the absence of job openings, Ople noted.

Ople, who is in Macau, said she met separately with Labor Attaché Leopoldo De Jesus and Consul General Jet Ledda to discuss the effect of the global financial crisis on overseas jobs for Filipinos.

Quoting Ded Jesus attaché, Ople said the tightening of Macau's economy is also due to China's policy limiting to once very three months its citizens' visits to the gambling mecca.

On the other hand, she said, the Philippine consulate is closely monitoring the situation while expressing optimism that most Filipino workers in Macau remain secure in their current jobs.

"There is no doubt that our workers are highly valued in Macau. However, no one really can say for sure what the economy will be like a few months from now," she said.

Macau's economy is heavily dependent on tourism revenues, principally from its gaming casinos and hotel industry.

Über Glücksspiele in Macau - Gambling in Macao:

Macau (englisch Macao) liegt rund 50 Kilometer westlich von Hongkong und ist das Glücksspiel-Paradies in Asien.

Macau hat rund 40 Spielcasinos. Die grössten Casinos sind The Venetian Macao, MGM Macao, Wynn Macao, Galaxy StarWorld, City of Dreams, Sands Macao, Casino Lisboa.

Neben den riesigen und farbenfrohen Casinobuildings ist eines der Wahrzeichen der Macau Tower (Fernsehturm mit 338 Meter) mit atemberaubenden Ausblicken auf die Stadt.

Macau erstreckt sich über eine Fläche von 115.3 km2 und hat rund 620'000 Einwohner.

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Gaming and Casino Industrial News 23.1.2009 all over the world ---


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