Online Casino and Gambling News: March 2009

Two percent internet poker tax proposed for France

France's budget minister, Eric Woerth, told a press conference Thursday that his proposed legislation to liberalise the traditionally monopolistic French gambling industry includes provisions for some online gambling, and will be presented to cabinet ministers at the end of March 2009 or the beginning of April. He said the bill will likely be voted on in the French Parliament and Senate before the 2009 summer recess.

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UKash expands prepaid cash card network to France

Ukash, an online cash payment solutions provider that provides Internet-friendly vouchers for cash deposits, has partnered with Central Telecom to be available through Telecom's prepaid card sold in locations across France.

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Intercasino to release Call of Duty video slot on April 1

Visitors to the Cryptologic stand at the ICE(i) show in January were taken on a virtual drive through a major upcoming branded game attraction from the software company, "Call of Duty." Themed on the popular WW2 shoot 'em up video game, the extraordinary animation and excellent graphics and sound effects could not have failed to impress.

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Javaid Aziz withdraws demands for Cryptologic EGM

Speculation is that last week's threat by Cryptologic of a breach of contract suit against former CEO Javaid Aziz may have been the motivation for the latest development in the frosty relations between the two. In an investor update today the software company advised that it received notification on 4 March 2009 from counsel to Aziz that he "does not seek to rely on" the purported requisition for an extraordinary general meeting that the company received on 18 February 2009."

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Scottish gambling addict earns 3 years jail for million pound theft

This week saw the culmination of a criminal case against a Scottish book-keeper who fed an Internet gambling obsession by stealing almost a million pounds sterling from his employers last year.

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New Jersey workmates hit $216m Mega Millions lottery jackpot

Ten New Jersey insurance company employees are currently on cloud 9 after hitting the biggest jackpot of them all - the $216 million Mega Millions lottery main prize drawn in Atlanta earlier this week. One can only imagine the reactions of the ten members of a lottery syndicate when organiser Bob Space circulated each on an email that simply said "We won the big one!"

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Play United Casino switches to Playtech software

The Earn United Affiliate Program, owners of the formerly RTG-powered Play United Internet gambling venue, have announced a switch to Playtech software. The change comes in sync with United's fifth anniversary, and carries with it a special 50 percent commission offer for affiliate marketers.

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Poker Players Alliance makes pitch to Utah Attorney General

The state of Utah's outspoken Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, was again in the news this week following his words of support in a local radio interview for Congressman Barney Frank's efforts to regulate and licence online gambling.

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EU politicians seek gambling exception to "free movement" principles

There are indications that some European Union politicians are not averse to seeking "exceptions" to the core EU principle of "free movement of goods and services between member nations." Specifically there are those who have tried to fly the idea that online gambling is an "economic activity of a particular nature" - a possible thin-end-of-the wedge approach to hamstring the enforcement activities of the European Commission and thereby shield state monopolies anxious to preserve their priveleged and protected status.

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Irish gamblers' mortgage applications affected by online gambling?

The Irish Times reported this week the astonishing news that online gamblers may have more difficulty securing a mortgage than other applicants. Michael Dowling, a spokesman for the Independent Mortgages Advisers Federation (IMAF), told The Irish Times that banks now regarded online betting very negatively.

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