• William Hill Announces 1st Major Poker Table Tournament

A Poker Tournament sponsored by William Hill will take place from October 17th to October 25th 2005 inclusive. This Tournament will have a total prize fund of £450,000 with £150,000 going to the overall winner. Presentable Ltd. based in Cardiff will film the show for television. Basic Tournament Outline The Tournament will be structured with 7 heats of 8 people at each table making the total number of players 56. The players will be made up from: * 8 on-line qualifiers from the William Hill site - satellites to begin July 18th * 48 Top international poker professionals The player buy-in is £6k with William Hill adding an additional £114k to make the total prize pool £450k. The winner will take home £150k. The winner of each heat will earn a place at the final table. A semi-final table will host the runners up from each of the heats. The winner of the semi-final will earn a place at the final table hence the final will be for 8 players. The filming of the heats, semi-final and final will take place within a continuous period during October 2005 from the 17th to 25th with one event filmed per day. The venue will be a studio location near Cardiff in the UK specially tailored to the filming of a poker tournament. William Hill Grand Prix On-Line Qualifier Key Dates On-line Satellites will commence from 18th July The First Qualifying Event will be 31st July Qualifiers run until 18th September.

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• eGaming Review Top 50

July, 18 - eGaming Review has released its assessment of this year's 50 most powerful online gambling companies: 1. Sportingbet 2. PartyGaming 3. Cassava Enterprises (Casino On Net) 4. William Hill 5. BetandWin 6. Ladbrokes 7. Bodog 8. BetonSports 9. Carmen Media 10. BetFair 11. Victor Chandler 12. OIGE 13. Coral Eurobet 14. Unibet 15. VIPsports 16. Pinnacle Sports 17. Rational Enterprises (PokerStars) 18. BetCorp (BetWWTS) 19. BetCRIS 20. Ongame 21. Interwetten 22. SportsInteraction 23. Golden Palace 24. Empire Online 25. Gaming VC 26. Fun Technologies 27. eWorld Holdings 28. Mr. Bookmaker 29. Fortune Lounge 30. Skybet 31. St. Minver 32. Bet365 33. GameBookers 34. Rank 35. Sportech 36. Imperial E-Club 37. Profitable Play 38. IAS (Canbet) 39. Virgin Games 40. Paddy Power 41. Intercontinental Online 42. Sunny Group 43. Trident Group 44. Ritz Interactive 45. Expekt 46. English Harbour 47. UKBetting 48. BetDaq 49. Midas Player 50. Betcom

> Read the full story here Source : InfoPowa News

• GameAccount Launches £10,000 Skill Gaming Tournament

July 25, 2005 (London, UK) – The world’s largest Solitaire tournament begins today, hosted by leading online skill gaming provider GameAccount (www.gameaccount.com). The £10,000 multicurrency cashpot will attract over 16,000 players from 130 countries to compete in 14 rounds of the popular card game Pyramid Panic. The unique tournament structure allows large numbers of players to participate, with minimum outlay and maximum chance of rewards. It costs only £1 to enter, you may re-enter as often as you like. The tournament offers bigger prizes with each round, and any player only needs to beat 14 opponents to win the Grand Prize. According to Kevin O’Neal, Marketing Director at GameAccount, the SuperCash tournament is just the beginning of the company’s massive campaign to take the skill games market to unprecedented new levels. “We intend to make remote skill gaming the ‘new poker,’” said Mr. O’Neal. “By the end of the year we plan to launch the first £100,000 skill gaming tournament, which will certainly generate tremendous attention and boost the position of skill games in the online sector.” Skill gaming has been rapidly maturing in player size, revenues and cash prizes over the last 3 years; GameAccount alone paid out over £1 million in cash winnings last month. The pioneering skill gaming provider has reported that next generation games and knockout tournaments are increasing average stakes and lifetime customer value, thus greatly contributing to the booming online games market.

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• River Belle Introduces Multiplayer Casino

GIBRALTAR – (PRESS RELEASE) -- River Belle, an industry-leading Belle Rock Gaming brand, earlier this month introduced its new River Belle Multiplayer Casino designed to enhance the excitement of its premium gaming offerings. Enabling River Belle players to play "alongside" each other in blackjack and slots games, the multiplayer casino creates a social, interactive experience that until now was only available in online poker rooms. Integrating a visual representation of a multiplayer atmosphere with real- time chat, River Belle Multiplayer Casino accesses a global network in which players from different casinos can play alongside each other in a community- oriented environment. The result is unprecedented levels of excitement and social interaction that add to the already unique quality of the River Belle gaming experience. "A primary goal of the River Belle Multiplayer Casino is to provide the best, most exciting gaming experience for our players," said Tim Johnson, Chief Executive of Carmen Media Group, owner of Belle Rock Gaming. "Our brand new multiplayer casino adds a new dimension to River Belle that, along with our incomparable promotions and other offerings, ensures an unparalleled experience for new and current players alike. "We launched River Belle Multiplayer Casino to our existing casino player base two weeks ago and the take up has been astounded from the outset. Player numbers are growing by the thousands on a daily basis, and it is obviously another winner in the River Belle gaming stable. Being the first operator to offer this to our players attests to our commitment to leading the way and to continuously bringing our players the most exciting entertainment options." River Belle Multiplayer Casino offers multiplayer features in multiplayer blackjack and three different multiplayer slots games. [...]

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• Impressive Take-up for the iGaming Business Pavilion at G2E

July 28, 2005 (London, UK) – The iGaming Business Pavilion at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo (G2E), September 13-15, 2005 is in good stead to be the hot spot of the show, with a line-up of the top gaming, skill gaming and poker providers already confirmed. Organisers announced today that although they have sold more than 17 stands, they might extend the pavilion area to accommodate another six exhibitors. The iGaming Business Pavilion is exclusively for the online gaming industry, featuring leading service providers and operators that have established themselves in the bourgeoning global online gaming market. A collaboration between G2E and leading interactive gaming magazine iGaming Business, this is the first year the online sector will have its own pavilion organised by a leader in the iGaming space. The focus will be on skill gaming, soft games and poker software, however, traditional casino gaming software providers, iDTV and mobile gaming providers are also encouraged to exhibit in the space. Over the three days of the expo, there will be a free seminar and presentation area where leading figures in the industry will address issues in interactive gaming, such as the state of domestic regulation, the challenges of going mobile, the latest gaming development products, and perspectives on the industry’s future. According to Michael Caselli, iGaming Business editor, the online skill gaming sector is growing at record speed in the United States, so the iGaming Business Pavilion will provide an unprecedented opportunity for poker suppliers to meet with buyers. “The iGaming Business Pavilion will bring a dedication to the gaming sector to G2E for the first time in the show’s history”, said Mr Caselli. “We are excited to have an opportunity to add an online focus to the world’s biggest gaming expo.” The pavilion will be located in Hall C2 of the G2E show floor. Last year G2E attracted more than 25,000 industry professionals from across the globe and over 200 mainstream and trade media. G2E is the largest international event for the gaming industry.

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• eCOGRA Casinos First To Receive Responsible Gaming Education

Management delegates from online casino operations around the world converged on Cape Town, South Africa last week for a unique educational seminar on problem gambling. Organised by independent self-regulator eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), the course was held to coincide with new responsible gaming requirements recently approved by its Board. The programme, believed to be an industry first for a collective group of online casinos, was designed to brief eCOGRA seal casino managers on the new regulations and provides them with sufficient information to set up policies and training programs in preparation for the introduction of the new safety precautions contained within the eGAP requirements. 40 delegates, representing general management, support, audit and marketing disciplines for 55 seal-bearing casinos, attended the event. The programme included expert tuition on the prevention of underage gambling, the psychology of problem gamblers, how to identify compulsive players and the best way to handle cases of this nature. The custom built course was conducted by specialised Swedish psychologist and researcher Thomas Nilsson together with senior G4 executive Pieter Remmers and senior trainer Rob d'Hondt. eCOGRA's regulations have been framed in consultation with the G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group) organisation which recently introduced responsible gaming policies and operating parameters at eCOGRA approved PokerRoom.com. The regulations provide minimum standards and requirements in respect of warnings and options regarding problem gambling, self exclusion and control mechanisms for gamblers, and promotional and advertising best practices in this area. Andrew Beveridge, CEO of eCOGRA told delegates that responsible gaming was a critically important element in online gaming operations from both a moral and practical industry viewpoint and eCOGRA was yet again leading the way in setting gold standards player protection practices for the industry to follow. He said, "Apart from a firm moral obligation to prevent underage or addictive gambling, we must remember that the industry’s detractors are increasingly focused on the dangers of underage or addictive gambling, and this is a potential Achilles Heel for the industry." He added, "Your commitment in joining eCOGRA has its roots in a real desire to be professional, responsible and above-average in your operational practice. The responsible gaming aspect has now been made an integral part of the eCOGRA standards required to achieve this level of business conduct."

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• World Poker Exchange London Open Attracts Additional Celebrities

ANTIGUA AND LOS ANGELES -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- World Poker Exchange announced today that two additional celebrity poker enthusiasts, Jennifer Tilly, winner of the 2005 World Series of Poker Women's Tournament (Seed of Chucky, Haunted Mansion), and John McCririck, (2005 Celebrity Big Brother) will join Mimi Rogers (Stone Cold), Willie Garson ("Sex and the City") and Nicholas Gonzalez ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") at the August 3-6, 2005 World Poker Exchange London Open. These representatives will be among an international array of glamorous film and television performers, musicians, athletes and world-renowned poker players who will compete aggressively for the $2 million jackpot in the first-of-its-kind lifestyle poker event. (www.LondonOpen2005.com). Recent winner of the World Series of Poker Ladies Event, Jennifer Tilly, will add the London Open as her next poker tournament tour stop. Tilly is known for her various roles in films, television and stage. She was nominated for a Best Actress in a supporting role in 1995 for Bullets Over Broadway and is also a familiar face in the horror genre as Tiffany on Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky. Television horse racing pundit John McCririck has most recently appeared in the 2005 series of Celebrity Big Brother UK. A keen poker player with an insatiable appetite for bluffing, McCririck is also a racing journalist and Grandstand writer. Among the other notable celebrities who previously announced their intention to play the World Poker Exchange London Open include actress Mimi Rogers who has recently appeared in films such as Stone Cold, Dancing in Twilight and The Door in the Floor. She is also credited with starring roles in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and "The X Files." Her appearance on "Celebrity Poker Showdown" brought down the house with her coy card-playing for The Dream Foundation. [...]

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• Strong, Single Voice Created by Merger of ARGO and IGGBA

UK -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Association of Remote Gambling Operators (ARGO) and the interactive Gaming, Gambling and Betting Association (IGGBA) agreed today to merge to create the Remote Gambling Association (RGA). Representing the world's largest and most well-known remote gambling companies, the RGA will combine the strengths of the two trade associations to provide the industry with a single voice on all issues of importance to regulators, legislators, and other key decision makers around then world. The need to have a clear focus has never been greater as this newer form of gambling establishes itself as a legitimate mainstream leisure activity. Membership will be open to all operators and software suppliers who are licensed and operational in the EEA countries, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. Commenting on the merger, Richard Flint, Chairman of iGGBA and Managing Director of Skybet, stated, "iGGBA and ARGO have served the industry well during this period of rapid development, but this consolidation will bring real benefits for the members of both. Our aim is to provide a single voice for the industry that is well respected and credible in putting forward industry positions on all issues. Collectively we have a strong pedigree of experience and knowledge which will ensure that we achieve this goal." [...]

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

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