iGaming News all over the world 15.07.2010

15.07.2010, Harrah's Interactive May Expand WSOP Franchise / Opening a casino in Spain is a permanent challenge / Online Betting on the World Cup Surpasses Expectations/ Bulgaria looking to consolidate the gambling industry / Regulated Internet Gambling in Eastern Europe Coming Soon

Harrah's Interactive May Expand WSOP Franchise
Mitch Garber, Chief Executive Officer at Harrah's Interactive Inc, based in Montreal Quebec, Canada, indicated in an interview with the publication Inside Poker Business that Harrah's Interactive is giving some consideration to expanding the World Series of Poker franchise. France and Italy are the targets of interest for the WSOP where new laws have opened up the possibility for potential business. Garber said, "We know we would like to strategically expand the bracelets beyond the US and the UK," adding, "We haven't figured out if [the events in Italy and France] will be individual events, or part of the WSOPE or tied to a larger series." Bracelet events in Italy and France could come soon as the CEO of Harrah's Interactive explained that the company would make a decision and an announcement could be made within about six months.

Three bracelet events in London, launched the WSOP Europe in 2007 have been successful so far and the new venture and will boost the profile the existing online poker site in Italy and France.

The launch of the WSOPE in September and a marketing expansion will augment the WSOP site in the U.K..

Garber pointed out, "You will see a lot more marketing from us and attempts to tie in the TV and tournament to the website and acquire customers from that event," he added, "Then our next focus is on France and Italy." Mostly speculation the report noted that Harrah's Interactive has not yet applied for a licence in either Italy or France, but is seeking strategic partnerships with local companies in both countries.

Mitch Garber concluded, "Our strategy is to link-up with strong local partners and we are talking to people right now," adding, "I don't think we have the infrastructure or local expertise to operate on our own in each of these countries, and it makes more sense for us to partner with strong local businesses."

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Opening a casino in Spain is a permanent challenge
Spain, exclusive Yogonet.com).- Last June, Angel María Escolano Belló was appointed president of Casino Gran Madrid S.A. The executive also continues as general director of Casino Gran Madrid. In an interview granted to Yogonet.com, he talked about his challenges, the opening of the first Spanish casino outdoors, the online projects and the importance given to poker, among other issues.

The group operates three venues in Spain: Casino Gran Madrid, Casino Torrequebrada and Gran Casino Cartagena.

Which will be the main goals as president of Casino Gran Madrid? The main challenge I face as president of Grupo Gran Madrid is to bring continuity to a solid and professional business project that has achieved to position, for 29 years, as a gaming reference, whose prestige has achieved to go beyond the limits of the country in which it is located, Spain. The management of this patrimony will be one of the big tasks, as well as to advance in the leading positions that our group currently maintains.

Which are the most important projects of the group in the short term? The task that needs the biggest number of hours at present is to try to bring answers to our customers’ demand in a context of economic crisis. We also try to reinvent ourselves with our ideas and to bet for innovative technologies allowed in the market.

For example, the investor managed to renew the collection of slots of our centers, which has allowed the incorporation of latest-generation machines to our casinos.

Consolidating our position in the poker market is one of the goals that we have planned. As Yogonet readers know, the bet that our group of companies has made is absolute, because we understand that it is the trendy game of chance. In fact, Casino Gran Madrid inaugurated a year ago the first Poker Room in Spain, which has received almost 15,000 people, which have received around 3,000,000 Euros in prizes. Some of the most important national and international poker events have been held there.

Besides, Casino Gran Madrid will inaugurate “Hasard 29”, the first casino outdoors in Spain, and the second of these characteristics in Europe. It has equipment designed by one of the most remarkable designers (Tomás Alía), who, on top of the gaming zone (two tables of American roulettes, two black jack tables and two poker tables) will include a cocktail and drinks zone.

We also work to position our brand, Casino Gran Madrid, in Internet, with the aim to attend the queries that our friends and customers bring us every day.

How has Casino Gran Madrid dealt with the financial crisis that affected Spain? Unlike the statement that says that games of chance are not affected by the crisis, the fact is that, as a leisure alternative, they have suffered a decrease in incomes, in some cases, close to 25%. That is despite the fact that, in our case, our company of reference (Casino Gran Madrid) achieved in 2009 more visitors than in the last 16 years, although it is true that our customers spend less money in their stays. If we add other factors to the crisis, as well as the increment of illegal online gaming, the fiscal pressure or legal restrictions (in advertising, for example), we find a more complicated scenario.

Yet, the best challenge we have planned has been to offer our visitors a space in which the games of chance and leisure experience is complete, forgetting for a moment the European economic crisis.

Have you planned to acquire new operations (both in Spain and other countries)? As a leading company, our vocation is to grow. But that growth has to be supported by rigorous analysis and real business opportunities.

As general director of Casino Gran Madrid, What are the goals you wish to comply? The fact of managing a casino with near 700 employments, with a games of chance and entertainment offer as wide as ours, with more than half million visitors every year, in the current scenario, and with interesting development projects, forces us to at least rethink and revise the goals constantly, because opening a casino every day is a permanent challenge. Yet, one of those goals will always remain: to offer the best games of chance and leisure environment to our customers, aiming to bring the best service.

Which is the position of the group with regards to remote gaming? Our position with regards to remote games is very clear. We are openly in favor of them, but not at any condition. Our position is that those games have to be operated respecting the existing authorizations.

Our point of view is the same as the one of the Spanish Casino Association (AECJ), it means, that any online regulation has to be based in the premise that there are the same casino games listed in the different CCAA catalogues, but operated in the computing support instead of the traditional physical channel.

If we think that just new technologies will transform the activity, we are not considering the general policy with regards to online transactions in the main countries worldwide, including the EU. And we would be forgetting the games of chance mathematics of the roulette, the black jack or the games of chance machines.

In our view, the model to boost would be the one in which every legalized brick-and- mortar casino was also authorized for online gaming, based in the gaming license that allows the operation in this sector. In fact, it would be to respect the existing authorizations.

Casino Gran Madrid is working to enter in the online market, because our wish is to move the services that our brand offers to Internet, with the same security and quality guarantees, and with the usual professionalism as we have been working for 29 years.

Exclusive interview Yogonet.com

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Online Betting on the World Cup Surpasses Expectations
The 2010 FIFA World Cup is over and the wagers are being settled all over the world. In Australia alone Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. says $123 million was wagered on the World Cup with TAB Sportsbet. Craig Nugent, TAB Sportsbet Managing Director, said, "Australian punters have a love affair with the Soccer World Cup and the world's biggest sporting tournament has once again eclipsed TAB Sportsbet records," There have been winners and losers of course with one individual betting $550,000 placed at $1.52 for Spain or a draw in the semi final against Germany. The successful wager took away $836,000, including the $550,000 stake. It was estimated that at least 25 percent of Australians used the internet to place their bets.

One British gambler, suffered a setback after Germany beat England but went on to back Germany. Placing a world record £417,000 wager with William Hill's telephone betting service on Germany to beat Spain in the semi final. He could have walked off with a £800,000 payout if the Germans had taken the match.

Uruguay striker Diego Forlan was awarded the Golden Ball as the World Cup's best player by journalists accredited to cover the tournament. His odds were placed at 34.0. German forward Thomas Mueller won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer with five goals and also won the Best Young Player award. The odds were extremely short on the twenty year old Mueller who has shown true talent for Germany, scoring four times from just four shots. Stats aside he has been the star in Germany's team of young players. In four years time look out for this ace. Spain's captain Iker Casillas won the Golden Glove as the top goalkeeper.

Another Englishman had the World Cup betting urge. Richard Enticott, has bet £100 at 10,000/1 odds that his child, due during the World Cup, would grow up to score a goal for England during the 2030 World Cup. That's a real along shot to watch out for.

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Bulgaria looking to consolidate the gambling industry
Attempts by Bulgarian Ministry of Finance to consolidate the country’s gambling industry through tougher financial and technical criteria plus a ban on casinos in hotels and near schools was met with vehement opposition by the sector

Speaking at the first public discussion of the proposed amendments last Friday, State Commission on Gambling (SCG) chief Kaloyan Krastev said the move was aimed at consolidating the market. This was also the ground behind a proposed requirement for at least 15 gambling seats in gambling halls in towns with a population of up to 50,000; at least 30 seats for towns with a population of 50,000 to 100,000 people; and at least 50 seats for the biggest towns.

Krastev argued the new requirements would force smaller gambling sites, which he said operated mostly in the shadow sector, to join forces and come out in the clean, however, the industry protested that small size should not be a reason for kicking an operator out of the market.

Firms said the same effect could be achieved through the introduction of investment and solvency requirements for the different types of gambling. They dismissed the proposed changes as illogical as operators are required to prove the origin of their money anyway. The new law could leave just one operating casino in Sofia, the industry warned.

Under the current rules, the distance of gambling halls and other gambling sites from schools must be more than 300 metres. According to the proposal, this requirement will be toughened up to 150 metres for towns of under 50,000 people.

The industry dubbed the proposal seer nonsense as under-eighteens are not allowed into gambling halls anyway.

Yogonet.com / Dnevnik

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Regulated Internet Gambling in Eastern Europe Coming Soon
Eastern Europe has been hard hit by the recent financial downturn and governments there are suffering a lack of tax revenues and huge deficits. In order to straighten out the downward curve economists in various Easter European nations are looking at the regulation and licensing of online gambling operators to stimulate growth. According to a report from publication Mediafax, Romania and Moldova are considering the move to generate much needed tax revenues. Bogdan Dragoi, secretary of state for the Finance Ministry of Romania, told Mediafax, that online gambling may be a way of generating funds to help bail out Romania's ailing economy. An estimated 500 million Euro is wagered by Romanians on online gambling sites, something the Finance Minister wants to look into.

Last year Romania amended the law regulating traditional gambling and increased gambling taxes, which resulted in a huge increase in revenues for the state.

Dragoi, commented, "After the law was amended, gambling revenues increased considerably," he added, "...we are looking into ways to regulate online gambling, and, if we manage to control money [tax] collection, we will authorise them."

As things are now the law in Romania sits in limbo as it does not prohibit or sanction online gambling, but it does forbid Romanian companies from participation in the industry.

The Moldova government's Ministry of the Economy has begun a project funded by the European Union to amend it's gambling laws. The intent of the newly drafted law is to replace most existing gambling legislation, providing a structure for gambling regulation.

Legislation to address internet and remote gambling, are part of the amendments proposed by legal experts. Moldova has been un able to reach any clear consensus on the changes in their gambling laws even though many residents participate in internet wagering. Speculation is that PartyGaming and PokerStars are in the running for the first online gambling licenses to be issued by Moldova once a regulatory framework is established

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