• 888.com Available To Mac Users

Gibraltar (PRWEB) June 10, 2005 – 888.com (www.888.com) is the world's most popular online casino and now all online users have access to it after steps were made to facilitate Macintosh users. "Mac is the poor relation of the computer world when it comes to online casino compatibility," Mike Herea, Promotions Department Manager for 888.com said. "There were a considerable amount of Macintosh users out there who wanted to log onto 888.com but were unable to. We have rectified that." Maintaining their reputation as being state of the art innovators 888.com is the first online casino to accommodate Mac users. Round the clock development was undertaken to ensure this project would be ready as soon as possible. The website (www.888.com/mac) specifically designed for them is now up and running. All of the traditional favorites are present on for Macintosh users to enjoy. "We have Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Slots and Video Poker there awaiting them," Herea said. "In our online casino they can play for and win real money as opposed to the pretend money which was the only option available to Mac users previously." There is also another great feature which will assist Mac users in feeling they are part of the 888.com family. "Macintosh users can enter the casino and play at the same tables with their friends; be they Windows users or Mac users." There are other features at the website besides the gaming rooms and tables. "We also have the wonderful exclusive Players' Club which they have full access to." The Player's Club is a lounge where the 888.com players can gather and find out what is happening in the casino. "We post up events and news. There is a gambling school for those who wish to brush up on the rules and of course there is the VIP room." 888.com also has an offer for first time Mac users where the first $200 of their deposit is doubled. Herea concluded by saying that there might be some additional good news for Macintosh users. "With the World Series of Poker just around the corner we might have some more good news for Mac online poker players." "But until then, if they are interested in seeing what our Windows users are up to, they can have a look at our World Series of Poker page.

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• Player Spend Increases In Skill Games Sector

June 7, 2005 (London, UK) – Next generation games and knockout tournaments are increasing average stakes and lifetime customer value in the burgeoning skill games arena. Pioneering skill gaming provider GameAccount (www.gameaccount.com) reports a massive leap in average stake sizes, lifetime customer value and player numbers driven by unique large-scale knockout tournaments and sophisticated turn-based multiplayer games Gin Rummy and 8-Ball Pool. GameAccount remain unique in offering knockout tournament structures to the skill gaming market. This has revolutionised the skill-game proposition beyond head-to-head and flat tournament structures, in turn increasing lifetime values of each customer. While knockout tournaments are creating competitive communities and increasing lifetime values, peer-to-peer (P2P) games are proving to be very popular with recreational gamblers as well as traditional game players. GameAccount predicts P2P games to be the ‘next big thing’ and therefore its unique knockout tournament structure is being rolled out across the P2P games. The augmented tournament structure and introduction of new generation games has meant that average stakes within the GameAccount network have increased six fold. GameAccount Director Dermot Smurfit comments, “Traditional games such as Gin Rummy and 8-Ball Pool are instantly recognisable in all major North American and European markets. However, good games are not enough … GameAccount’s unique knockout tournaments and innovative wagering for P2P games are essential. ‘MoneyPlay’ per-point staking on Gin Rummy has fuelled over $2,000,000 in wagers within just a few short weeks of launch.” The online games market is currently worth $793 million per annum and has demonstrated such a substantial rate of growth that it is expected to reach $3.2bn by 2006 (representing a CAGR of 59).

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• Gambling Federation And Mahjong Mania Sign Online Mahjong Deal

June 6, 2005 - Mahjong Mania (www.mahjongmania.com), a trading name for gaming software developer Mahjong Systems Limited is pleased to announce a major software agreement with online casino leader, Gambling Federation. The deal will have Mahjong Mania provide its industry-leading Mahjong software to Gambling Federation for use within its online gaming suite. Gambling Federation’s CEO Flaviano Fogli commented, “We are very pleased to work with Mahjong Mania to increase the scope of our gaming suite. We believe that Mahjong will prove to be one of the most significant new games in the gaming industry, and we are happy to have this opportunity to pioneer Mahjong with our other international games in our software”. The mahjong software will initially be available at Gambling Federation’s premier licensor, Videopokerclassic.com. Mahjong Mania President, Adriaan Brink said, “We are very pleased to integrate our Mahjong network into the Gambling Federation software. We expect their significant Asian player base to enhance our overall liquidity and the playing experience for all of our customers”. Mahjong Mania operates the only aggregate play-for-money Mahjong game on the Internet. By pooling players from all its partners and allowing them to play against one another Mahjong Mania is able to ensure optimal liquidity and player numbers. Mahjong is arguably the most widely played game in the world. A household game in China (45% of Hong Kong residents surveyed claimed to have played at home for money) Mahjong presents enormous potential for operators of Internet casinos and sports books who seek to penetrate the difficult Asian markets. Mahjong games are also widely played in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and across Asia. Chinese Internet penetration, currently around 95M people (still less than 10% of the population) is growing rapidly and is expected to surpass all other countries in gross numbers over the next few years. Mahjong is a 4-player game similar to Gin Rummy. Played with a set of 144 tiles it can become very complex with some of the more advanced rule sets, although the initial implementation by Mahjong Mania has been kept simple in order to encourage play. The Mahjong Mania game can be found on www.mahjongclub.com (free play only) or through one of its partners such as www.drho888.com. Mahjong Mania is in the process of being acquired by Events International Holding Corporation, a Montreal-based public company whose shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “EIH”. The proposed transaction is presently going through a due diligence review and has not received final regulatory approval.

> Read the full story here Source : Press Release

• Stanley Leisure Looks Like Good Bet

UNITED KINGDOM – As reported by the Scotsman: "Investing in stocks and shares always has been and always will be a gamble, so it's small wonder many investors have chosen to borrow the punter's lament that 'the bookies always win' and back the bookies. "And although some investors remain unconvinced at bookmaker William Hill's proposed purchase of more than 600 betting shops from Stanley Leisure, its smaller rival, investing in Hill looks to be a pretty good bet. "Unimpressed investors in Hill had been hoping that the company would have returned some of its cash reserves to shareholders, as management said it would. "Indeed, there are valid grounds for arguing that Hill's original intention to hand back some £453 million to investors would have been less risky than the £500m-plus purchase of Stanley's shops. "…The advantage of owning 600 more shops is that it will help Hill spread the risks of taking bets across a wider geographic base, including Northern Ireland, diluting risk and bringing economies of scale. "Nevertheless, traditional bookmakers are facing a mounting challenge for their punters from online betting exchanges, internet sites which match up punters looking to take opposite sides in a bet. And because of tax and other issues, the odds available on betting exchanges are often better…"

> Read the full story here Source : CasinoCityTimes.com

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