by CasinoBonusCenter | Oct 31, 2011 | Casino Articles
London, 31 October 2011 – Following its recent accreditation as a full testing agency by the Italian regulator AAMS, the independent player protection and standards body eCOGRA has achieved similar status with the new Spanish gambling regulator, and is now approved to test and certify both i-gaming software and information systems security for the Spanish market.
eCOGRA chief executive officer, Andrew Beveridge, applauded the licensing opportunities adopted by the Spanish regulator in the newly liberalised online gambling market in Spain, commenting:
“It appears that a harmonised EU regulatory environment is unlikely to be achieved in the near future, and operators, software suppliers and testing agencies are currently faced with a formidable challenge in meeting the different jurisdictions’ compliance requirements.
In this environment eCOGRA is very conscious of the need to fulfil our clients’ expectations and the associated audit risks, and we are continually developing our auditing approach to ensure that operator and software supplier clients realise benefits that include:
- A streamlined and efficient audit process ensuring reduced delays in licensing in new jurisdictions and minimal disruptions to the rollout of new products and system changes;
- Reduced testing through a single audit of common regulations across multiple jurisdictions, with possible and consequential annual cost benefits;
- Compliance work performed by professional and industry experienced auditors with a thorough understanding of the operational and regulatory environments;
- Comfort that a familiar testing agency with a proven reputation for integrity and competence is performing the testing work; and
- Competitive testing agency fees.”
Founded in 2003, eCOGRA tests, reviews and monitors the operational activities of almost 200 tier one online gambling venues operated by some of the largest companies in the industry. Its audit and IT professional staff is experienced in the testing and certification of platforms, games, online casino, bingo, mobile and poker networks and sports books to best practice standards that meet international regulatory requirements, including the safe storage database demands enshrined in the new Spanish regulations.
The Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego recently emphasised the importance of comprehensive and professional testing as a prerequisite for a stage one Spanish licence.
Applicants will be required to successfully undergo an assessment process of both games and platform by a testing agency recognised by the Spanish authorities. Once the licence has been issued, the applicant has four months in which to prepare for a final and all-embracing inspection of operational systems, games and hosting facilities, leading to a full licence.
The burgeoning Spanish market represents a significant business opportunity for operators committed to, and able to meet, high standards, and the demand for testing and advisory services is expected to be considerable.
About eCOGRA
eCOGRA is staffed by highly professional auditors with Big 4 auditing firm experience, information system experts and responsible gambling specialists. The organisation is a leading supplier of compliance and advisory services in the areas of player protection, fair gaming and responsible operator behaviour to stakeholders in the remote gambling industry.
In 2011 alone eCOGRA will perform almost 100 compliance reviews against eCOGRA’s eGAP Requirements, the European Gaming and Betting Association (‘EGBA’) Standards (incorporating the European CEN Workshop Agreement 16259:2011 Measures) and various jurisdictional regulations.
The company is an accredited testing agency with several jurisdictions, and earlier this year the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) awarded eCOGRA the ISO approval ISO/IEC 17025:2005 : General Requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. This accreditation is one of the quality assurance requirements for approval as a testing agency in various European remote gambling licensing jurisdictions.
by CasinoBonusCenter | Oct 18, 2011 | Casino Articles
Responsible Gaming Day (RGD) – https://www.responsiblegamingday.eu – provides an opportunity for interested stakeholders to participate in a fact-based discussion of best practices for responsible gaming and betting in the EU.
This year will be the fourth edition of RGD. The first edition in 2008 opened the debate by a broad discussion of the numerous issues the sector faces. In 2009, RGD focused on “Integrity and Sport” and last year the spotlight was on the gambling sector’s contribution to the Digital Agenda and the announcement of the Green Paper on online gambling in the Internal Market.
This year’s programme will seek to generate an informed and vibrant discussion that will make a real contribution to the policy discussions following the Green Paper consultation and the European Parliament’s own initiative report. Discussions will focus on the regulatory framework required at EU level and the possible role of standards as a response to the challenges and opportunities identified.
Activities will focus on an afternoon roundtable ‘Online gambling: a substitute or building block for an EU framework?’ followed by an opportunity to experience live demonstrations of the internet tools that are available to ensure responsible gambling.
Directions:
Venue
BIBLIOTHÈQUE SOLVAY
Parc Léopold – Rue Belliardstraat 137
1000 BRUXELLES
Tel: 02/738 75 96
Fax: 02/736 29 85
URL: www.edificio.be/fr/edificio-contact.php
by CasinoBonusCenter | Oct 13, 2011 | Casino Articles
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by CasinoBonusCenter | Sep 21, 2011 | Casino Articles
WASHINGTON – Casino corporations that advocate legalizing Internet poker rolled out some big guns Thursday to advance their cause.
An industry-funded coalition introduced former FBI Director Louis Freeh and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to bolster the argument that federal regulation of online poker would protect consumers and allow authorities to police sites that sponsor games.
Freeh has joined Ridge on the board of FairPlayUSA, an effort launched this summer with startup funding from Caesars Entertainment Inc. and MGM Resorts International to build support to legalize online poker.
Despite indictments this spring targeting three of the largest online poker companies, the former federal law enforcers said current law on Internet gaming has been ineffective.
“The fact is there are millions and millions of people playing the game today,” Ridge said at a media event in the U.S. Capitol. “Congress in 2006 decided to prohibit all Internet gambling. Was it well intentioned? Yes. Has it been effective? With respect to those who thought they were doing the right thing by banning it, the answer is unequivocally no.
“Prohibition hasn’t worked, criminalization doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Ridge added. “The alternative is to encourage Congress, with the right input from the law enforcement community, consumer protection advocates, child safety advocates, professional players, to develop a regulatory scheme to enable law enforcement to oversee lawful Internet poker.”
Officials with FairPlayUSA say they are building a coalition of those groups to support a federal law to define Internet gambling and provide umbrella protections they say will not be possible if states are allowed to enact individual poker laws.
Board member Parry Aftab, a child advocate and Internet safety expert, said the group has not endorsed specific legislation.
A group of lawmakers including Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., introduced a poker legalization bill this summer.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., also is drafting a bill after trying to get one passed in the final days of Congress last year.
**Republished from Online.CasinoCity.com
by CasinoBonusCenter | Sep 21, 2011 | Casino Articles
New payment solution for United Kingdom
Moneybookers ( www.moneybookers.com ) added a brand new option for all users from United Kingdom.
It is called Online Bank Transfer and it offers instant transfers from your bank account.
This new method supports HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds TSB and other major banks in United Kingdom.
About Skrill
Skrill (The future of Moneybookers) is a leading online payments and Digital Wallet service with over nineteen million account holders. The simple DigitalWallet enables any client to make online payments conveniently, securely and economically. Without revealing personalfinancial data, clients can send and receive money transfers using just an email address.
Skrill’s worldwide payment network o-ers businesses access to over 100 payment options in over 200 countries and territories, through just one integration. Today more than 90,000 merchants use Skrill’s payments service, including global partners such as eBay.com, Skype and Thomas Cook.
The Skrill group is headquartered in London, UK. The group companies Moneybookers Ltd. and Moneybookers USA Inc. are regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) and US state regulators. In February 2010, The Sunday Times Deloitte Buyout Track 100 league table ranked it as the Number 1 fastest growing, private equity-backed company in the UK based on profits. This followed the September 2009 naming in The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 league table as the sixth fastest growing technology company in the UK based on sales growth. Along with recognition for the quality management, international expansion and growth trategy with two awards at the 2009 UK Media Momentum Awards.
by CasinoBonusCenter | Sep 8, 2011 | Casino Articles
A report from analyst company DFC Intelligence has predicted continuing growth for the games industry, powered by ascendant digital sales off-setting a shrinking market for boxed products.
The tipping point where digital content brings more revenue than boxed games will be 2013, said DFC in a report revealed to Gamasutra.
According to the report, traditional retail software raised $29.7 billion in revenues in 2010, 45 per cent of the industry total. Digital sales were responsible for $19.3 billion, 29 per cent of the total. The remaining 26 per cent, $17.5 billion, comes from hardware sales.
DFC sees that total of $66.5 billion growing to $77 billion by 2013, made up from $29.9 billion in digital sales and $27 billion in boxed titles. That trend will continue, the report says, resulting in a total market value of $81 billion – including $37.9 billion of digital sales.
“On a global basis it looks like retail delivery of physical software peaked in 2008,” said David Cole of DFC, “We expect a slow, steady decline for physical game sales, with a steady increase for online delivery of games and new business models such as subscriptions and virtual item sales.
“Overall the game industry is becoming more diversified and global as it continues to grow. This makes the industry challenging because it is hard to know where to place one’s bets. At the same time, there are many niches of opportunity that didn’t exist in the past,”
Article Source: GamesIndustry.biz
