Online Casino and Gambling News: January 2009

Following the soft launch in December of its new iPhone-capable mobile gambling operation, All Slots Casino announced this week that it has already more than doubled expectations in terms of players visiting the casino and using their iPhone or iPod Touch mobiles to play.

Lady Fortune has smiled on Tadeusz Krupa and his family over the past 13 months; the Colorado resident has won useful amounts in prize money on the Colorado Lottery's Cash 5 game on no less than 21 different occasions, triggering suspicion from other lottery players that something may be wrong, and triggering an official investigation into his winning ways.

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that the Australian registered gaming clubs movement intends to attack online gambling operators by lobbying to have them observe some of the restrictions terrestrial pubs and clubs face such as bans on inducement and credit card betting.

Atlantic City's revenues continued to fall in December, according to the latest statistics from New Jersey, with the gambling centre's 11 land casinos showing an accelerated decline over the previous year. The casinos won $302 million from gamblers in December, down 18.7 percent, exceeding the 15.1 percent decline set in September.

The Nevada state Gaming Control Board issued its latest statistics for land casinos Friday, making for depressing weekend reading. Winnings dropped almost 15 percent in November - the eleventh consecutive month of declining business compared with similar periods in 2007, reports Associated Press.

Following the successful launch of its Ongame Internet poker product in the Italian market, Vienna-listed online gambling group Bwin became the first operator authorised by AAMS (the State Monopolies Autonomous Administration) to launch its real-money skill games this week.

A 24-year-old farmer's insurance agent who recently relocated from New Jersey to San Diego has hit the jackpot every lottery player dreams about - the $47 million Mega Millions. Todd Moitz was introduced to the press this week by California Lottery officials after he claimed the big prize, opting for a cash payment of $32 million rather than the full but deferred by instalments payout.

The furore swirling around Australian cricket commentators punting Betfair services during a recent test match took on an international flavour this week as the International Cricket Council (ICC) weighed in with some influential criticism. The governing body for international cricket joined protests that this type of on-air advertising for a betting agency puts the integrity of the game at risk.

The news that the Tasmanian government has started a process to divest itself of the Tasmanian Tote has been followed by a story on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network that online betting exchange Betfair, which has a joint venture with a major betting group in Australia, may be interested in bidding.

[inline:mega-moolah-5reeldrive.jpg]Online casino software developer Microgaming adds four new games to its line-up this month, including a new progressive jackpot slot, its latest video slot, and the latest development in its Level-Up video poker series.

The popular Mega Moolah progressive heads the list in a new and high revving iteration, dubbed Mega Moolah 5 Reel Drive, featuring an American car racing theme for the big-win progressive jackpot game.