Politicians plot the future of Internet gambling in Australia, a credit card company turns cold on California Net bettors, CrytoLogic introduces online poker software, a British online sports betting service debuts mobile betting, an online spread betting company takes on wagering on entertainment events and Trump casinos rolls out a fancy online reservation system.
Discouraging Online Gambling Bits
If you’re an Internet gambler and you follow what’s happening in Australia, then you know that online gambling services based there are among the best regulated in the world. You may also be aware that the federal government last year imposed a one-year moratorium on the expansion of Internet gambling Down Under and that it used that period to figure out whether prohibition was feasible. The moratorium ended this month and no decision has been made. The Senate will study the matter further in June and will probably end up passing a ban over the summer. What does all this mean to online gamblers? It means that the world’s safest, most consumer-friendly online gambling services in a matter of weeks may no longer be operating.
Thanks to a very high level of fraud-most of which is on the part of consumers-credit card companies aren’t to hip to customers using their credit cards to gamble online. MasterCard and Visa already have policies in place that make it very difficult for online gambling sites to accept their cards.
Discover Card appears to be following suit, thanks largely to a court ruling in California. A Net bettor there sued the company, along with American Express, after he racked up more than $70,000 in credit card debts using numerous cards. As a result, Discover will no longer allow card holders in California to gamble using their Discover cards. And because it’s virtually impossible to determine beyond doubt the physical location of Internet users, it’s speculated that the company will disallow all Internet gambling transactions, regardless of whether the card holders in California.
An Encouraging Online Gambling Bit
On the brighter side of online gambling, CryptoLogic’s progressive jackpot system produced another huge winner this week. A Net bettor in Hawaii hit a 176,688 progressive jackpot playing Caribbean Poker ant InterCasino. The player, “moosed,” is the second InterCasino customer since March to hit one of the big ones. CryptoLogic’s progressive jackpot system can be accessed at the company’s jackpot. The Caribbean Poker jackpot starts off at $100,000 and has already climbed over the $110,000 mark since moosed’s win over the weekend. Also starting at $100,000 is the jackpot for Crypto’s “Rags to Riches” slot machine, which was approaching $190,000 as of last night.
Miscellaneous Online Gambling Bits
Online poker players will want to keep an eye out for new games by CryptoLogic. The software company will team with Entertainment to bring new online poker room capabilities to players worldwide. The company hasn’t yet announced where and when the games will be available.
betandwin, an Austrian interactive gaming company, recently announced that it will expand into the Italian market through a joint venture with Horizon S.r.l. The new company, betandwin Italia S.p.A, will take over an existing betting business and launch a service that delivers sports betting in Italy nationwide via the telephone and on the Internet.
Cantor Index Ltd., a company that offers spread betting services over the Internet, recently announced the addition of entertainment-related wagers. The company, through its recent purchase of the Hollywood stock Exchange, now invites customers to make real-money spread bets on the success of films and actors as well as record sales for popular recording artists.
A Wireless Betting Bit
Coral Eurobet has expanded its wagering services to include new options for bettors using mobile phones. The bookmaker will offer a new service, through a partnership with wireless entertainment company 12Snap, that enables Coral Eurobet customers to place bets using interactive voice recognition systems and then receive confirmations via SMS. The service will also deliver text alerts about sporting events of the individual customer’s choice.
An Expansion Down Under Bit
Australia’s largest casino/resort, Crown Casino, has announced that it will soon begin construction on a second high-rise tower. The casino’s original design was for two towers, but the second tower proved to be too costly. The new tower will cost $76 million and will contain a four-star hotel, a conference center, a bar and a brasserie.
A Northern Nevada Bit
The new Siena Hotel Spa Casino will open its doors July 31, 2001. The Siena can be found on the banks of the Truckee River in Reno, Nevada. The hotel includes a full-service day spa, a 24-hour casino, fine dining and an Enoteca (wine cave). The suites have river and mountain views and have wonderful amenities such as robes, coffee makers, Internet access, Web TV, data lines, safes and speakerphones. Reservations are being taken for August 1. To get more information, or to make reservations, call 1-877-SIENA33.
An Atlantic City Bit
Those vacationing or doing business in Atlantic City may want to take note that Trump Plaza and Trump Marina Hotel and Casino will soon be connected to the Internet via a SynXis Reservation System. The system will enable the two properties to make real-time adjustments on hotel rates. Both properties will also have direct online booking capabilities.
