After nearly three years in prison, former BetOnSports founder Gary Kaplan finally received his sentence in another controversial case tied to the 2006 UIGEA legislation. With the passage of the Wire Act in 2006, UK sportsbook operator Gary Kaplan and several other online gambling professionals became criminals in the eyes of the United States government.

Kaplan’s BetOnSports sportsbook processed billions of dollars in wagers leading up to the 2006 debacle. American bettors accounted for 98% of the site’s revenue, and Kaplan was reluctant to let them go. His decision to continue accepting American clients led to the company’s indictment in July of 2006. BetOnSports CEO David Carruthers was arrested shortly thereafter, but Kaplan remained at large until March of 2007.

This week, the Department of Justice gave Kaplan the maximum 51-month sentence and also demanded that he surrender $43.7 million in assets. One day later, two of Kaplan’s siblings and coworkers were also sentenced to house arrest and were ordered to surrender an additional $6 million in BetOnSports-related assets.

The harsh sentence doesn’t bode well for other UIGEA criminals awaiting trial, including Carruthers who will be sentenced in January.

Helping to educate lawmakers, the Remote Gaming Association (RGA) recently finished producing a video that demonstrates how the online gambling industry works to protect players. It is a five minute video that aims to provide insight into how online casinos are able to provide safe and fair online gambling environments, according to RGA Chief, Clive Hawkswood. Specifically, the video showcases technologies that are used to protect and encrypt personal information, including financial details, as well as preventing problem and underage gambling.

Unveiled to commemorate Responsible Gambling Awareness Day (that’s today, October 19th), the video has not been published online as of yet, but is expected to be available for view in the coming days or near future. If anything, it will also serve to inform players who are new to online gambling, as well as affiliates and partner sites advertising and promoting online casinos. The fact of the matter is that not every online casino upholds the standards of the RGA, and so letting players and affiliates know what to look for can help keep the rogue casino sites out there from stealing business and pocketbooks.

With education as its weapon of choice, the RGA has made tremendous strides in countering misconceptions that problem gambling is an “epidemic”, while still providing resources for gamblers to help prevent and identify problem gambling tendencies. The RGA does not deny that problem gamblers are spawned from remote gambling sources, such as the internet. However, they are quick to offer preventive and treatment solutions, as well as risk assessment that has proven helpful in keeping problem gambling numbers manageable and within regulatory guidelines.

The RGA also financially supports problem gambling treatment groups, like the world’s first international gambling helpline service, Gambling Therapy. In fact, the RGA donated 16,000 Euros to Gambling Therapy in conjunction with Responsible Gambling Awareness Day.

If there was anybody or anything that held the necessary resources to “educate the masses” regarding online gambling, and I mean educate in the sense of explaining how safety and fairness are ensured at online casinos, or at least properly regulated and accredited online casinos, it would certainly be the Remote Gaming Association, also known as the RGA.

A leading industry trade body, or association if you will, RGA represents the biggest and best brands in the online gambling arena. With a focus on the European sector, since that is the most widely government regulated area in the world, RGA helps to use it’s media outlets to raise awareness of gaming operator responsibilities while ensuring member operators maintain such standards.

There’s another big progressive jackpot win to report this week, and it’s now been confirmed that it took place at none other than U.S. facing Super Slots Casino. What generally takes several days to confirm, it is now official that one lucky players residing in Arizona, USA under the screen name of Marjorie T. bagged a $435,000 progressive jackpot playing the Pay Dirt online slot machine.

Pay Dirt is a three reel progressive offering a max win of 1,000 coins on a single coin wager. Of course, that all changes with a progressive jackpot, which in order to be eligible to win, a player must wager the maximum number of coins, which is three. At a $1 fixed value, that means it takes $3 wagers to have a share at the Pay Dirt progressive jackpot.

In the case of Marjorie T., who says this is here first big jackpot, that’s not a bad payoff. A simple single payline slot, Pay Dirt will pay 2 coins for the Eyed Pyramid, 10 coins for a Pair of Eyed Pyramids and 5 coins for three Cherry’s in a row.

For anyone unfamiliar with Super Slots, they are one of the top internet slots destinations owned and operated by the English Harbour Gaming Ventures (EHGV) network. See the Super Slots Casino Review for more details. The bottom line is that Super Slots is powered by Vegas Technology Software, which on all accounts, offers one of the best online gambling packages today.

Vegas Technology Software’s progressive jackpot network, in fact, has made more of a “jackpot surge” in the last three years than in the full decade this up-and-coming software developer has been in business taking bets from online gamblers around the world. Of course, the funneling of U.S. based internet traffic has drastically helped fuel this trend, yet the fact remains that Vegas Technology deserves the traffic it is getting.

Australia’s mushrooming operations group of internet based gaming Betfair, appears to be on an onward and upward journey. It was also announced this week, that Betfair will be sponsoring Strathalbyn Racing Club. This sponsorship has made this club the pioneer local South Australian race club, to obtain the betting group’s sponsorship.

The joint venture will include naming rights of several races, which begin immediately, as well as venue and track signage, according to what the club’s secretary has commented on Racenet.

Ms Sharon Cimarosti, the secretary for the racing club in question, has in fact commented that the club is simply delighted to have Betfair show an interest, and support them in this quest. She added that Betfair has through this sponsorship, supported the South Australian racing, since it has invested in the future of their club.

Andrew Twaits, Betfair’s Australian CEO commented that Betfair was thrilled with the partnership with Strathalbyn.

Mr Twaits said that this is their first endeavour in the sponsorship sector in South Australia, and this event symbolizes the achievement of another landmark in the progressive development of Betfair.

“It has always been our desire to reinvest into racing through such a partnership and Strathalbyn endows us with a further opportunity to fortify our trademark in Southern Australia and all over the country.

Proof of the partnership became evident at Strathalbyn, during the races held on the 22nd April. On this day Betfair has funded some races that were on the day’s schedule.

Former Nevada Senator Richard Bryan recently spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about Congressman Barney Frank’s internet gambling bill. While Bryan was supportive of the initiative, he was also grim about the prospect of it getting passed next month. “It probably won’t happen this year,” Bryan said.

The article in question was originally written as an evaluation of Nevada’s potential as a hub for online gambling operations should the bill pass, but Bryan’s honest predictions have set the poker industry ablaze. Frank’s House Resolution 2267 has already been delayed once this year to make room for more pressing recession-related issues. While remaining dedicated to HR 2267, Frank himself has stressed the need for immediate health care reform, and many DC pundits agree that the issue will likely push online gambling off the agenda again.

The issue has certainly gotten a reaction from the PPA’s many supporters who are arguing that the revenue potential of legalizing online gambling in the U.S. makes it recession-related and puts the topic on par with health care for the next Congressional hearing.

The city of Las Vegas is known for many things. Apart from the obvious gambling, you also have reported organized crime, enough sports betting to choke Pete Rose, semi-legal prostitution, inexpensive gorge-fest buffets, and the indubitable favorite of men everywhere, showgirls. When it comes to the buxom beauties in the buff, the singing and dancing is okay, but it’s the nudeness that lures in the crowds.

Forget about Sinatra. Who cares about fat Elvis? Give me a topless girl with 0% body fat in a thong and wearing feathers. Yeah, that’s what Sin City’s all about. Some casinos, like Bally’s, for instance, always have a big-stage showgirl production going on. But wouldn’t it be great if a casino in Vegas was built around the premise of nude girls instead of just featuring them for a per-show ticket price?

Look no more. The economy may be in recession, but some investors have decided that gratuitous nudity is recession proof. God bless them.

Entrepreneur extraordinaire Joe Francis, of Girls Gone Wild fame, has hooked up with some fat-cat investors and has recently purchased a lot on The Strip for a reported $60 million. That’s no small change, mind you, but it’s nothing compared to the $650 million being spent to erect the casino.

Playing on the theme that made him famous, Francis had initially planned on his latest project to be called “The Vegas Wild.” However, plans now suggest that the casino will just be named “Wild,” and that the establishment will truly live up to its name. Instead of hosting nightly nude shows or throwing a stripper stage in a dimly-lit back room, Francis’ Wild Hotel and Casino will feature a primarily all-woman staff wearing nothing but a g-string, 6-inch heels and a smile.

Of course, you can still expect pit bosses and security officers to be male – or to at least be fully clothed. After all, the idea is to be risqué without being trashy. Wondering where those nude security women keep their night sticks and walkie-talkies might lead some to draw the “trashy” conclusion, and no purveyor of a high-end nude establishment needs that.

The cashiers, croupiers, dealers, and even the waitresses in the food court will all be nude. And if that’s not enough to draw people in, Francis has a unique vision going on for his floor plan. The floor of the casino is set to be illusionary. A centerpiece walkway, with slot machines on one side, gaming tables on the other, will be made of tempered, crystal-clear glass. What’s under the glass? A pool with nude synchronized swimmers.

Immediately above the glass walkway will be a LCD HD TV screen, 67-feet long and 30-feet wide, displaying a perfectly coordinated video image of the synchronized nude swimmers. Francis is dreaming of an underwater nude adventure. There’s even talk of mermaid tails for the girls in the pool.

Why is Francis going all-out in order to show off the female form in a unique way? Well, nudity is his business, and it only makes sense that Francis’ vision would involve a nude casino. But it goes deeper than that. Joe is trying to get back at Vegas, particularly Steve Wynn: the new Mr. Vegas himself.

In 2008, Joe Francis was sued by Wynn Resorts Ltd. for a reported $2 million gambling debt. Francis, insisting he paid his debt to Wynn Las Vegas casino, is currently in a he-said-he-said battle against Steve Wynn, who Francis claims is trying to swindle him.

In the business world, people don’t get mad, they get even. Francis going “Wild” is his way to chip away at Steve’s controlling Vegas base. And when “Wild” is finally completed in 2012, the world will have its first all-nude casino, and every gambling man from sea to shining sea will be lined up to get a look at the stacked decks of the dealers.

Wow. If only this were true! Imagine the fun we could all have at a nude casino. Someone contact Joe Francis and give him these ideas, please.

The Australian online sportsbetting group Sportingbet, has entered into a partnership with V8 Supercars, Australia’s most popular motorsport series. The partnership sees the launch of a new, V8-branded betting site - V8bet.com.au - to serve the many enthusiasts for the sport.

The agreement, although opening up an entirely new sector, represents an extension of the white label online gamblng site business model in Aussie sportsbetting, where several top football clubs have joined up with betting groups in online ventures recently.

Sportingbet CEO Peter Sullivan explained: “V8bet will have a range of motorsport markets that have never been seen before in Australia with everything from our normal win markets to quinellas, head to heads, lap times and many more. V8bet will also have betting on all our regular horse racing, AFL, Rugby League and a huge range of other sports on top of all the new motorsport markets. It will be the one stop shop for punters and particularly those with an interest in V8’s and other forms of motorsport.“

Sullivan revealed that revenues from the site would be split between the partners as has been the case in prior football deals.

Tony Cochrane, executive chairman at V8 Supercars, said that the agreement represented a great opportunity for fans to bet in a safe and well established operation that was one of the largest in the southern hemisphere.

“You can make a bet on any of the major sports and horse racing, but the V8bet site is designed with a focus on our fans. We welcome Sportingbet to the ever growing stable of leading companies involved in V8 Supercars and we are certain that over time this will prove to be a strong partnership which will help grow our sport.“

Two years after installing a device reputation fraud detection system, the Entraction online gambling network reports spectacular results.

The network needed a partner not only for fraud detection, but also prevention, and since installing the Iovation system the reduction in fraud has equated to a 5x return on the investment of introducing the technology. Entraction says it now proactively identifies risky and suspicious behavior, exposes fraudsters before they cause a problem, and stops literally thousands of fraudulent and abusive activities each day.

And after two years, the chargeback rate has declined to almost zero and continues to fall.

A Wilmington developer’s announcement that he intends to build a gambling casino in southwestern Sussex County already is drawing criticism from at least one would-be competitor, the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino.

James Rostocki is awaiting a recommendation by a state legislative committee studying the feasibility of additional casinos in the First State before submitting a formal proposal to town and state officials.

Plans call for a casino complex with a hotel, a venue for conventions and entertainment, a restaurant and retail shopping that would sprawl over 131 acres within town limits. It would draw traffic from U.S. 13 and U.S. 50 in nearby Salisbury, Md., specifically prospective travelers to resorts such as Ocean City, Md., where a proposed slots gambling venue is proposed at the Ocean Downs Racetrack.

A Delmar casino also would compete with Delaware gaming’s Big Three: Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, which adjoins the Dover International Speedway that hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends; Harrington Raceway; and Delaware Park Racktrack and Slots in Stanton.

Rostocki’s proposal is one of at least two that have surfaced recently for casino gambling in Sussex County. In Millsboro, the Ocean Atlantic Agency Inc. of Rehoboth Beach has announced plans to add casinos at its proposed Del Pointe site, a 377-acre venue that also would include a family resort hotel, convention center, indoor water park, retail shops and more. While Del Pointe has been approved for harness racing, a legislative committee recommendation could decide whether the complex wins gambling.

Rep. Joe Booth, R-Georgetown,t is co-sponsor of House Bill 194 that, if approved by the legislature, would allow slots gambling at Del Pointe, a proposal that also has the established gambling casinos watching with criticism, said Ed Sutor, president and chief executive at Dover Downs.

“There are 800,000 people in the state of Delaware and three casinos; I don’t think we can handle more,” said Sutor, citing declining revenues for casino and horse racing industries overall. “We have a hard enough time competing with Pennsylvania, where casinos opened in 2007. The economy and competition is hurting business.”

Horsemen receive 10 percent of slots revenue at Delaware’s Big Three casinos, and casinos elsewhere in the state could mean fewer gamblers or horse betters at existing venues, Sutor said. “Horsemen don’t like it, either; they’ve said so publicly.”

Half the business at Dover Downs is from both of Maryland’s shores, and at least 10 percent of its business is from the Eastern Shore of Virginia and onto Norfolk and the Virginia Beach region, he said. Delaware casino operators already were braced for competition at Ocean Downs in Ocean City, which is among five venues in Maryland expected to launch slots gambling with newly signed state legislation.

“That’s too many,” Sutor said, adding that he recently learned of Rostocki’s proposal and similar others in the Wilmington area.

Rostocki said he recognizes the concerns, but adds that the Delmar location would add needed revenue and jobs, and as importantly, give tourists and other visitors good reason to visit southern Sussex County.

“Rightfully so, our proposal would be a concern,” Rostocki said Wednesday. “There is potential competition, but also it would bring new people to Delaware. We’re making rounds, talking to people.”

There have been discussions with property owner Charlie Cathell about accommodating drag- and- dirt-track race fans attending events at the adjacent Delaware Motorsports Complex in Delmar, Rostocki said. The casino and hotel could provide overnight accommodations and needed parking for race fans, he said. The complex includes U.S. 13 Dragway and Delaware International Speedway.

Cathell could not be reached Wednesday for comment, although Rostocki said Cathell’s reaction to his proposal was favorable. “He left the door open,” Rostocki said. “We have a fluid relationship.”

The car-racing element makes the Delmar casino venture unique because other casinos in the state, including the proposed Del Pointe, are paired with horse racing, Rostocki said.

Rostocki also said he is interested in attracting fans at the Ocean City Cruisin’ of cars for race events at the Motorsports complex.

“We’re not going to do horses,” he said. “Why not a new venue that would draw people from all over the country?”

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