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US government pursuing online gambling operations

The United States has been actively seeking out any e-wallet providers that have been involved with any online gambling sites. The US has used a variety of laws to make their case. Among these laws are the Wire Act, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the Illegal Gambling Business Act.

From 2004 to 2006, Optimal’s e-wallet company Firepay was operating in the United States. “Optimal, operating an electronic wallet called Firepay, processed more than $2 billion worth of illegal gambling transactions for United States customers,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said. When the United States enacted their Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in October of 2006, Optimal no longer accepted payments from customers within the US. Prior to the legislation, about 80% of their payments were from customers in the United States.

Under the deal, Firepay acknowledged a violation of federal law by providing wagering in the United States. The Optimal Group agreed to forfeit $19,182,418 as part of their non-prosecution arrangement with the US. Optimal stated that the amount was a “disgorgement of property involved in and proceeds received from the payment processing services that were provided by the company’s subsidiaries to Internet gambling merchants in relation to U.S. customers of such merchants.”

Firepay is no longer in operation. The Optimal Group has focused their business interests into some different areas. The Group’s WowWee business is a leading designer, developer, marketer and distributor of innovative hi-tech consumer robotic and entertainment products. The operation is also involved in the development of toys.

Electracash also a target

The US is also looking into the operations of many other foreign and domestic e-wallet providers. The California based online cash processor Electracash Inc. has been a target of the government in recent months. In July, US federal authorities seized bank accounts of the company. The accounts were allegedly used to process payments from online gambling operators. Now, the government is seeking to gain access of Electracash e-mails to find further evidence of illegal activity.

UIGEA related seizures could be winding down

While the government has been able to seize some funds from several e-wallet providers tied to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the seizures could soon be a thing of the past. With Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank’s reform legislation to end the UIGEA gaining momentum, the government could focus on taxing online gambling operators instead of the far more difficult process of trying to enforce laws that are vague in nature. The current policies of the United States have done nothing to stop the continued growth of the online gambling industry. The impending UIGEA reforms would enable federal authorities to direct their energies towards more substantive issues and concerns.

Declan Hill, an independent British investigative journalist and author, stated that the hundreds of manipulated outcomes from soccer games being revealed in Asia and Europe is not due to the regulation of internet casinos and sportsbooks, but the extensive underground gambling market that operates in Asia and Eastern Europe. Hill, who is perhaps best known for his 2008 release of “The Fix,” a book in which he predicted that international soccer would soon be the victim of a major scandal, recently made the bold statement that game fixers are placing their bets with unregulated and illegal sportsbooks with connections to organized crime rings.

In a December interview with The New York Times, Hill said that the gambling industry in Asia is much larger than it is in Vegas and Europe combined. He also noted that because most of it is filtered through illegal operations, concealing fraud and money laundering within a covert, criminal industry is considerably easier.

Experts in the gaming industry state that it is very difficult to manipulate the industry with corrupted outcomes when regulated internet gambling sites are involved. This is primarily because the online records containing customer identities and transactions create a level of transparency that works to the criminals’ disadvantage. In addition to this, advanced technology provides for the rapid detection of suspicious wagering amounts and patterns, particularly on more obscure sports that are often vulnerable to corruptible influences.

It has been reported that as many as 200 matches could have manipulated outcomes across international borders, many of them speculated to involve a number of referees and well known players. However, legal, fully regulated sportsbooks have come out to say that their respective services were not targeted by cheaters, claiming that both the fixed matches and participating parties would be easy to identify.

The revelation made by Hill speaks highly of the desperate need for fully regulated and licensed internet gambling, sports wagering included. With the lingering threat of corruption and criminal activity, this is the best way to ensure the integrity of the games and most importantly, protect the players. The NFL seems to be high on its position that illegal sports betting is not a frequent thing, claiming that legalizing and regulating it would only tempt cheaters. However, it is becoming clearer to see that regulation may be the only way to keep incidents such as the soccer scandal that has rocked international headlines from infecting the NFL and other major sports in the United States.

American Indian Casinos starting to see a Decrease in Profit

At first glance it appears that American Indian casinos are doing well, certainly better then Las Vegas casinos, and this is true to some extent; a few states seem to be recession-proof. However, while the American Indian casinos did see an increase in profit in 2008 from the previous year, a 1.5 percent increase across all 28 states that have American Indian casinos, that profit margin is slim compared to past years. Between 1993 and 2006, American Indian casinos had an average growth of 20.3 percent. Even in 2006, when the nation’s economy started to make a turn for the worst, these casinos still saw a 4.6 percent growth.

Oklahoma and Recession-Proof Casinos

Oklahoma may be the exception to the rule when it comes to a decrease in casino spending. Overall, Oklahoma has 110 casinos, (the largest collection in any state,) and saw an 18 percent increase in revenue in 2008. The biggest reason for this may be location. Oklahoma borders Texas, a state that has mostly escaped the recession and does not allow casino gambling establishments. With locations like Winstar World Casino, Oklahoma is able to draw in thousands of Texas residents daily.

The Future of American Indian Casinos

While American Indian casinos may have seen a drop in sales in 2008, it is unlikely that the set-back will be anything but temporary. Most casinos are still getting the same number of annual visitors as any year prior to the recession; those visitors are just spending less. Chances are when the United States recession starts to turn around, those visitors will return to spending as much, or more, as they were before.

Also, American Indian casinos are still on the rise, there was a 3 percent increase in casinos nationwide in 2008. Several states like California and Oklahoma are building new casinos and making additions to their existing ones. Winstar World Casino was one of the many American Indian casinos in Oklahoma to get a face-lift in 2008 and 2009. Winstar expanded their casino, added an adjacent hotel, and even a few restaurants. All of these attractions are likely to mean more visitors overall.

The United States recession can be seen everywhere, even at the casino, but overall the American Indian casinos are still making a profit. These same casinos are likely to see a bump in profits each year as the recession starts to turn around.

During the casino’s initial hiring push of one thousand employees, more than nine hundred residents of the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas were brought in. When the facility beings operating table games, such as roulette, blackjack, craps and baccarat, hiring officials with the company expect that the proportion of local workers should be at or near the same levels.

Mr. DeSalvio said that, assuming that the Pennsylvania state legislature approves the new law, he expects to have table games ready for players by late summer 2010. In order for applicants to qualify for positions as table game dealers, they must pass a two-month training course offered by a local community college and go through an audition process to insure that they can handle the stress of a busy casino floor and can spot cheating, player errors and other improprieties.

Roger Hudak, the chairman of the Bethlehem Mayor’s South Side Task Force, stated that the area’s unemployment rate, which soared after last year’s financial crisis closed down many manufacturing facilities, has eased considerably due to the Sands project and their commitment to local hiring. Mr. Hudak said that the task force had set a goal of eighty percent local hiring, which Sands has exceeded by a wide margin.

However, another amenity that the casino wants to add is meeting with resistance from anti-gambling protestors. A new measure before the legislature would allow casinos to offer credit to high-roller players in order to attract them away from casinos in nearby Atlantic City, New Jersey. Credit, or “markers” as they are known in the industry, is a standard practice among the high-end casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

While the new legislation would require applicants to undergo a credit check, opponents see it as a way for low-end players to rack up debt. Dianne Berlin, coordinator of Casino Free Pennsylvania, said that the bill is another example of how casino interests have taken over the state’s business. Mr. DeSalvio rebutted with the fact that the extension of credit allows for high-roller players to play without carrying loads of cash on their person.

The Moneybookers MasterCard is being issued by the United Kingdom based Newcastle Card Solutions Limited (NCS). NCS is the largest provider on the MasterCard network in the United Kingdom and Europe and the third largest globally. Commenting on the Moneybookers MasterCard prepaid card Kriya Patel, Head of NCS, said, “The Moneybookers eWallet offers a whole new dimension in terms of convenience and this new card brings together for customers the benefits of a sophisticated online payment platform with access to their money offline, wherever they are, whenever they choose.”

The innovative feature of the Moneybookers MasterCard is that users will not have to split funds and separately preload the card. The card synchronizes automatically and in real time with the funds in the user’s Moneybookers eWallet. A spokesperson of Moneybookers claimed that they are the first major eWallet services provider to do this. This feature adds flexibility and convenience and makes the Moneybookers MasterCard suitable for a range of offline and online applications including funding of online casino accounts.

The costs associated with the Moneybookers prepaid card are among the lowest in the industry. Moneybookers customers have to pay a set up annual fee of €10. The withdrawal fees are €1.80 and the transaction fee is 1.99%. Apart from Euros the Moneybookers MasterCard is available in US Dollars, British Pounds and Polish Zlotys.

Moneybookers was founded in 2001 in London and is regulated by the Financial Services Authority of the United Kingdom. Since its inception it has seen phenomenal growth and has processed over €14 billion in online transactions. Over 12 000 new Moneybookers eWallet accounts are opened every day. Moneybookers has a great future because the alternative payment sector will comprise 30% of all online transactions by 2012. This is because online users are seeking alternatives to the banking system for day to day transactions. Martin Ott, co-CEO of Moneybookers, said, “We’re very pleased to be launching the next step in online payments. We recently signed up our ten millionth account holder; as this sector grows our customers are increasingly looking to exploit the time and safety benefits of the eWallet in the real world.”

Realex Payments was founded in 2000 by award winning entrepreneur Colm Lyon. Today it services over 3,500 clients across Europe, including The AA, Virgin Atlantic, Vodafone and Aer Lingus. The client list of Realex Payments also includes leading online gaming operators like PartyGaming. Realex Payments will provide comprehensive payment processing services for Cryptologic across a variety of currencies, regions and card types, and will provide a gateway service to its card acquiring partners.

Kieron Nolan, Director of Treasury at Cryptologic, explained the reason for selecting Realex. Nolan said, “Although we had a very tight deadline and an extensive wish list of specific requirements, Realex was able to implement the solution quickly and efficiently, meeting our demands in the timeframe required.” Nolan enumerated the advantages accruing to Cryptologic from the services to be provided by Realex Payments. Realex Payments is offering a cost effective solution and a high level of support and consultancy. The Realex Payments technology and operational approach is state-of-the-art and suited to Cryptologic’s needs. Cryptologic will receive concise and easy-to-follow monthly reports and will deal with a very professional, prompt and responsive dedicated account manager.

Realex Payments Chief Executive Officer and Founder Colm Lyon also expressed satisfaction with the deal. He said that there are similarities between Cryptologic and Realex Payments. Both focus on delivering innovative products to their clients. It is a testimony to Realex Payment’s leadership in the field to be selected as Cryptologic’s global payment partner ahead of an incumbent. Lyon also spoke about the strengths of his company that were instrumental in bagging this deal. These included their ability to deliver required systems in a tight timeframe.

Cryptologic was founded in 1995. It is a pioneer in the multi-billion dollar global online gaming market. Cryptologic develops proprietary online betting games and online casino software. It also provides support and administrative services for comprehensive online gaming operations. As a result of the partnership between Cryptologic and Realex Payments, Cryptologic will be able to significantly improve its technical infrastructure so as to match its future growth plans. Players at Cryptologic online casinos will enjoy better payment processing services and be assured of security and reliability.

Playtech will be the first online gaming software provider to operate in Estonia. A report in the Estonian Free Press states that in 2010 Estonia will legalize online gambling and Estonians can wager only on national gaming platforms. The first of these is being set up by the Olympic Casino group, which has chosen Playtech to be its software provider. The Estonian Free Press quotes Playtech Chief Executive Officer Mor Weizer as saying, “We are truly glad of this opportunity to start our partnership with Olympic as the leading casino entertainment provider in Central and Eastern Europe.” Weizer added that Playtech’s core strategy had succeeded in Estonia as well. This strategy involves providing premium technological solutions to companies operating in well regulated markets. Of late international gambling operators have been targeting Estonian with advertising campaigns so as to grab a share of the potential gaming market. The Estonian Free Press also speaks of rumors of impressive investments planned for the entire Baltic region.

In a first in another direction, the first Playtech powered sports book was launched. This was done by Euro Partners, which is a leading affiliate program backing online casinos and poker rooms running on Playtech software. One of the leading brands of this group is Titan. Titan Bet is the new online sports book added to the group. Playtech offers two features for Titan Bet. The platform is a web based one offering no download software. There will be a single wallet cashier system for Titan Casino, Titan Poker and Titan Bet. Playtech is partnering with Betradar in providing this platform. Titan Bet will offer the full range of betting services covering a wide range of sports and leagues from around the world. Bettors can wager on football, basketball, tennis, golf and other high profile sports in real time. Titan Bet will also provide up-to-date statistics, live scores and results on sporting events, which have become an integral part of any good sports book. Euro Partners Marketing Vice President, Marc Kenigsberg said, “Euro Partners is excited about this new venture, which will enable us to tap into a whole new market of online players. Sports betting is one of the major growing markets in online gaming and Euro Partners is approaching it with full force.” Euro Partners has ambitious plans for Titan Bet. The software from Playtech will be available in German, French and Spanish by the end of January, with Portuguese and Scandinavian languages following soon.

Gambling revenue on the Strip dropped three per cent to $486.4 million US in June, resulting in the first fiscal-year decline in six years, according to Nevada Gaming Control Board data released Monday. In Atlantic City, gamblers bet 6.6 per cent less, or $438.7 million, in July, the 14th decline in 16 months, New Jersey’s Casino Control Commission said.

The slump at the two largest U.S. gambling centres has begun to take its toll on the companies that make the most money there. The decline in Las Vegas prompted Boyd Gaming Corp. to delay construction of its $4.75-billion Echelon Strip resort development.

Las Vegas Strip takings were down for the sixth straight month.