After a long interview process (from January 09) the Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority, which oversees all forms of gambling based on the island nation, has finally selected a permanent representative to lead the regulatory body after a contentious few months. Malta's Lotteries and Gaming Authority announced via their website today that their search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer has come to a close. The selection to the CEO post will be Mr. Reuben Portanier who is a graduate of economics from the University of... [link]

17 October 2010: From October 18, all Poker Stars players can turn their poker playing hobby into a dream job as 6 poker players from Central and Eastern Europe will be awarded contracts to play poker online with poker stars and there are many simple ways to qualify for this fantastic opportunity. These 6 contracts will be valid for one year each and are worth $42K each. This prize-pool includes $18K in buy-ins to Poker Stars tournaments, paid in monthly installments in addition to a $24K year's salary. Poker Stars Dream Job promotion is valid for PokerStars players who are residents of Bulgaria, Albania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia (Hrvatska), Poland, Romania, FYROM, Slovenia, Serbia, Slovakia (Slovak Republic), Montenegro, and Serbia.

"A professional poker player in Melbourne, Australia would have had a shock of his life when he found out that valets at the casino he was playing at gave away his Ferrari to total strangers. The car, a red Ferrari F430 Spider, was found hours later at a fuel station with a man by the name of Adam Ramsay behind the wheel. Ramsay, who had been drinking at the casino and had locked his keys in his own car, allegedly walked up to the valet at the casino, claiming he was the owner of the Ferrari. All he had to do was fill out a form, pay a $30 fee and drive off. Casino patrons are given a ticket when they drop off their car but if they lose it they have to show ID (typically a driver's license) to pick up their car, as had Ramsay, which means that he was always going to be caught. We're sure that offers no solace for the car's actual owner, Van Marcus, who claimed that it had been "thrashed" and didn't feel the same. Adam Ramsay has since been charged and will have to face court." Source

Leading publication Bluff Europe has announced that it is set to become the first poker magazine available for download using the iPad tablet computer from Apple from next Friday. Bluff Europe is one of the world's most widely read poker publications and is distributed throughout European card rooms and poker clubs as well as on newsstands in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia and online at BluffEurope.com. Read Full article here

The state of New Jersey has introduced the first intrastate gambling bill in the US, potentially leading the way to the opening of the US egaming market on a state-by-state basis. The S3167 Senate Bill bill introduced by Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) would enable the state’s Atlantic City casinos to offer online version of their games including poker, blackjack and baccarat. The intrastate system would be regulated by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which would establish a new division to oversee operations and licensing. Read full article here

It’s been a week since we issued our newsletter and a lot has happened since our last issue... FEATURE - France steps closer to online gaming regulations ! NEWS <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Gamcare to open UK gambling treatment centre ! <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->US Senator sues to legalise sports betting ! <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Eurosport to launch sports betting offering ! BUSINESS <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Utility tariffs to be reduced for Maltese businesses ! <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Bingojoy touts match made in heaven ! <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->CryptoLogic signs with TGN ! PR <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Hyperion gaming lands in Malta ! <!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Asian Poker Tour to be 12 thrilling days ! The iGaming Profiler Online Directory will be in full swing starting April 1 st . To gain exposure to the igaming market, expand your business reach and make a statement about your dedication to the igaming industry in Malta and abroad – get listed! Please email us on Email Removed" mce_href="mailto: Email Removed "> Email Removed for a copy of rates for the Online Directory and a free copy of the iGaming Profiler Journal. Have a productive week!...

www.iGamingProfilerMalta.com It’s been a week since we issued our last newsletter, a lot has happened since our last issue... To read the article after the bullets, simply click on the ‘!’ symbol. NEWS - CAP Euro event in Amsterdam goes by a new name. ! - Egaming 2.0 unveils new online Supercasino. ! - Virgin Casino joins single wallet system. ! - Bingo.com launches gaming system in Malta. ! BUSINESS - Crown Limited terminates purchase agreement for Cannery Casino Resort. ! - NetEnt extends licensing deal with BetClick. ! - EGBA states that online gaming in line to avoid recession. ! JURISDICTION - Malta’s House Social Affairs takes a tough stance on gaming shops. ! - European Parliament approves report issues on online gaming. ! - France to Regulate gaming by 2010. ! We have also published the first edition of our iGamingProfiler Journal. With distribution at worldwide events and contributors ranging from the founders of the industry to the main service providers, can you really afford not to be on the next issue? Please email us on Email Removed"> Email Removed for a free copy of this exclusive journal. ...

Malta's internet bandwith and traffic was severely disrupted for almost 12 hours today due to a fault which developed in the Malta-Sicily Go Mobile cable Not very good!

EU Member States may be shifting their stance on online gaming and look to find a common approach to regulating the sector and in the process end years of deadlock when it comes to finding a harmonised EU-wide policy for the sector, according to Reuters. A copy of the EU document obtained by the news agency stated: "While the legal frameworks differ, there are significant similarities in the member states' objectives as regards gambling and betting." European ministers will discuss the document on December 1, with some changes anticipated from states strongly opposed to any kind of opening of their gaming sector. The issues that will be debated will include cooperation between national regulatory bodies to combat money laundering and fraud and corruption, a cap on pay-outs to players and an end to “double-taxation by taxing gaming where it takes place”. France, currently holding the EU presidency, said there were “already grounds for seeking a common approach” back in July and French budget minister Eric Woerth recently said “Europe” may have to look at finding a regulatory solution for allowing the industry to work across borders and countries. Others in the online gaming industry have interpreted this as a delaying tactic by the French, who are due to submit their draft regulation for the controlled opening of their online betting sector next month. But Sigrid Ligné, secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association, told Reuters: “In the end it's going to be back to the Commission to decide if it can take any further steps or if there is any need to do something new or different in the issue." A dozen EU states are said to be supportive of the common approach to regulating in Europe although Britain and Malta were critical, Reuters said. Original story

Just read that Betbrokers have gone into administration. I thought they were a popular place to go if you couldn't get a bet on with a high-street Bookmaker? Not able to hedge their bets any more? Shame... anyone got any news?

A gambling addict is suing a betting chain for £2 million after claiming they "ruined his life" by allowing him to continue betting. Graham Calvert, 28, asked William Hill to close his account and ban him because he was addicted and gambling over the telephone was "too easy". But he claims that despite being told he would not be eligible for another account for six months under the company’s self-exclusion policy, he was allowed to open a new account two months later. In the following five months, he went on to lose £2 million, including a single bet of £347,000 on America to win golf’s Ryder Cup. Mr Calvert, a successful greyhound trainer who once earned £30,000 a week, said the betting company had failed in its duty of care to him as a customer and blamed them for him having "lost everything". He said: "I was one of the top fifteen greyhound trainers in the country. But now I’ve lost everything. I’ve had to give up the business. "The pressure broke up my marriage and I had to move out of my family home and am living back with my mum. "This has had a terrible effect on me, and my family. I think it was irresponsible of William Hill exploit me the way they did. It has ruined my life. It was like taking heroin. "If I’d known I had the problem and didn’t do anything about it, I would see myself as being 100 per cent responsible. "The fact is that I did try to go through the right procedures and I was let down." Mr Calvert, from Co Durham, only began betting in August 2005 at bookmakers shops. He sometime placed 20 bets a day of £30,000 each, sometimes arriving at his local betting shop with bin liners stuffed with £100,000 cash. In May 2006 he opened an account with William Hill but, realising it was "too easy" to bet, he closed it within a few weeks, only to open another account and continue betting until December, when he sought help. In total he wagered £7.5 million in 16 months. He is expected to present evidence of a recorded telephone conversation with a William Hill employee in which, when asking to be banned, he is allegedly told he will not be able to have another account with them for six months, but did so two months later. He currently owes £1.5 million. His solicitor, Peter Hornsey, said: "This case is important not just on a personal level for Mr Calvert but also for the betting industry as a whole. "It goes to the issue of how bookmakers treat people who have gambling problems via their self-exclusion policy and whether they can be held responsible when they advertise themselves as offering self exclusion and promoting socially-responsible gambling. "For whatever reason, William Hill failed to operate its self-exclusion policy, with disastrous consequences for our client despite knowing that he had a gambling problem and we argue that they should be held responsible for that." [link]

According to iGaming News, The United States government has seized $24 million from bank accounts linked to Bodog Entertainment Group. The papers were filed in the Federal District Court in Baltimore, Maryland.

Aurea Privee, a local Las Vegas woman, plays slot poker at the Fiesta Henderson and wins a million dollar jackpot. The casino claims it was a malfunction and won't pay her. Local Las Vegas CBS news affiliate KLAS interviews Aurea and her attorney, Nikolas Mastrangelo.

"Our business now generates more income from online gaming and betting and from gaming machines in licensed betting offices than ever before. It is difficult to predict how these income streams will fare in a continuing adverse economy, albeit the business has been resilient to date.” Charles Scott, William Hill Chairman