European Casino Companies Continue Their Campaign in France Despite Warnings from Budget Minister Eric Woerth

As the liberalization of the French online casino market is nearing, so does the competition intensify among private European casino operators. No matter how much they want to advertise their online casinos, France’s Budget Minister Eric Woerth reminds them that online gaming advertisements of any sort remain illegal until the new legislation regarding online gambling and sports betting is implemented in 2010.

Early this week, casino company Unibet has announced its partnership with radio station Radio Monte Carlo, with a €1 million contract running the whole year. The said company also invested another €1 million into a reality TV show regarding sport and poker, to be aired by NT1. It also sealed a partnership with the Metro newspaper.

Another casino company, BetClic, is negotiating with radio station Europe 1. Currently, advertising campaigns are being aired in the said radio station. Both Unibet and BetClic are also targeting the football sponsorship arena, aside from gaming online.

Though advertisements regarding online games like online blackjack and online roulette are considered illegal, casino companies still maintain that whay they are doing is not illegal.

Both Unibet and the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) also maintain that advertising in France by European operators is not illegal.

The Week-Long Tournament Featured 14 Exciting Events, Including the First Ever Ante Up for Africa in Europe

The fifth season of the European Poker Tour (EPT) will be closing with a bang this May 3. The event, which started on April 27 in Monte Carlo, had 14 different events including the Main Event, High Rollers Event, and Ante Up for Africa in Europe.

Last year, over 840 people signed up for the casino’s Main Event, but only Canadian Glen Chorny brought home the bacon worth €2 million. But this year, the price at stake for the No Limit Hold’em contest is around €12 million, which is why more than a thousand online gaming enthusiasts are expected to attend the poker event. So far, only 400 players have qualified for the casino event. The game structure has also been altered this year.

As for the very first Ante Up for Africa in Europe, the event will be held the night before the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. This sport event aims to raise funds for the humanitarian mission in Darfur. Some of the stars in attendance include Boris Becker, Nelly, Bruno, and rench rugby players Philippe Saint-Andre and Sebastien Chabal.

Two new online casino tournaments will also be introduced this year, like the European High Roller Championship and European Pot Limit Omaha Championship.

The PokerStars are also planning to have another Poker Camp during the Monte Carlo event, following the success of the previous Poker Camps. Aside from daily poker tournaments, the Team PokerStars Pro will also provide interactive coaching sessions on how to play poker.

Finally, the PokerStars players can also buy tickets online using their accounts. They will receive Frequent Player Points as a reward, making gaming online in casinos a fun thing to do. Online registration started last April 20, 2009.

If you cannot participate in the event, don’t worry because you can still play your favorite sports betting games at your favorite online casino. Moreover, you also get to enjoy not just online poker, but other games such as online blackjack and online roulette as well.

English Football Association Uncovers a Dirty Little Secret Regarding Football Sport Betting

England’s Football Association charged five of its professional soccer players on the grounds of sport betting regarding the outcome of a match that they have a “direct influence” on.

The charges were placed on Accrington Stanley players during the Coca-Cola League Two last May 3, 2008, in which the visiting team, Bury, won two goals against none. They all placed bets on Bury. The players charged were Jay Harris, Robert Williams, David Mannix, and Peter Cavanagh from Accrington Stanley, and Andrew Mangan for Bury. Last month, another player, Leighton McGivern, was also charged for failure to give information to the FA regarding the accusation.

As a rule, FA prohibits this kind of sport betting in which the participant has a direct influence on the outcome of the game. Both Cavanagh and Harris have played in the said game.

The values they gambled were high, even comparable to the prizes won in playing a game of online roulette in an online casino. Mannix bet £4,000, Mangan £3,500, Harris £2,000, Williams £1,000, and Cavanagh on a five-pound accumulator.

Harris is also facing more charges involving sport betting. It has something to do with his new club and two other League Two fixtures. This is likewise for Cavanagh, who gambled on other League Two matches even if he had a direct influence over the game’s outcomes.

The same can be said true for online gaming in casinos. One is not allowed to play a casino game, say online blackjack, if he has an influence over the results.

Is There Still Hope for the United States to Legalize Online Gambling Now that there is a New Administration?

In 2006, the U.S. Congress banned gaming online in the United States, localizing online casinos in offshore locations such as Antigua and the Isle of Man. But now, rumors are going around that European casino companies may actually get another shot at the U.S. online casino scene, while a lot of European countries are now loosening their bans regarding the legalization of online gaming because they can largely benefit from the revenues that they can get from sports betting.

This is especially beneficial to the U.S. In fact, Massachusetts Democrat Representative Barney Frank is expected to introduce a new legislation overturning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. This will be his second attempt in doing so, after failing in 2007. Online gaming advocates are relying on President Barack Obama and the rest of the Democrats in the congress to repeal the said law.

According to a study done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the U.S. government can raise over $50 billion in 10 years just by legalizing and applying taxes in online casino games, such as online roulette, online blackjack, and online poker for instance.

But then, things will not be resolved easily since there are still those organizations who oppose repealing the law, such as the Christian Coalition of America and National Football League.

Different sport leagues in the U.S. are also worrying that accessibility of online gambling may lead to increase in game-fixing. Hence, the legalization of sports betting may be highly unlikely.

At present, several European online casino companies are still in talks with the U.S. Justice Department, waiting for developments. Meanwhile, they have decided to extend their services to Europe and Asia.