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Hand Tracker in
Online Gambling update:
Rank helps Isle
PokerHeaven
Two bills go to US Congress
leave the UK
P
okerHeaven.com has
launched a new poker tool,
The Hand Tracker, that lets
C
ongressman Barney Frank, Arguing that over $100 billion a
Chairman of the House year is currently being wagered by G
rosvenor Casinos, owned by
British leisure gaming
company, The Rank Group,
players track their playing activity in Committee on Financial millions of Americans with illegal, has paid £650,000 for the casino
real time via an animated console. Services, has introduced two Bills ‘offshore’ online gambling services, at Coventry City Football Club’s
Available to all Poker Heaven to Congress. His Internet the bill’s supporters Ricoh Arena.
players through
ThePlayerZone.com, Gambling Regulation, include Harrah’s Current operators, Isle of Capri,
The Hand Tracker allows players to Consumer Protection and Entertainment. “We really built the Coventry casino in the
access their hand history and Enforcement Act of 2009, believe this industry hope of a ‘supercasino’ licence, but
provides a simple animated console calls for a legislative already exists,” said Jan the company is leaving the UK
that can be used to play back every infrastructure to allow Jones, Harrah’s market to mitigate its losses now
hand played. licensed operators to Entertainment's senior VP that the expected changes in UK
Players will also be able to fast accept wagers from US of communications and laws have not materialised.
forward and rewind hands, share residents, while a second government relations. “It Rank plans to invest a further £1
their activity with bill seeks to push back the Barney Frank, just exists in a Wild West million to refurbish and re-brand the
their friends and date for mandatory
Chairman of the
setting. If you say you care site as a G Casino, and has bought
as the system is developed further, compliance with The
House Committee on
about protecting children the lease liability from Isle.
it will eventually provide statistics Unlawful Internet Gambling
Financial Services
and fraud and money Phil Urban, Managing Director of
that will educate and improve play. Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) laundering, then the only way you Grosvenor Casinos said: “I am
Ali Craxton, Head of CRM for The from 1st December this year until can put those protections in place is excited at the prospect of bringing
Poker Zone, said “The software was the end of 2010. to put in a strong regulatory frame.” the G Casino to Coventry as part of
developed in response to specific
Protectionist moves in EU
the superb Ricoh Arena.”
requests from our players. It is easy
to use and a vital tool for those a71 Meanwhile Rank has announced
wishing to become more profitable
O
nline betting company Betfair principles of open and fair that it is investing £1 million in its
players. Additional features will be has started a court action competition. It is madness that the casino in Bolton, which, the
added, including best hand and against the Dutch Netherlands, as one of the founding company says, will feature some of
table position statistics.” government, which could result into members of the single market, has the most technologically-advanced
a multi-million-Euro damages claim. resorted to illegal tactics that gaming equipment on the market,
Hoffman joins
Betfair acted after the Dutch prevent consumer choice and go an enclosed 143-seat Poker room,
Ministry of Justice wrote to Dutch against the Treaty,” he added. and a Mediterranean-inspired
TableMAX sales
banks claiming that Dutch law does Charlie McCreevy, EU internal restaurant called The Gallery.
not allow online gambling licences, market commissioner, commented: The Bolton venue is the seventh
E
dward Hoffman has joined the and urging them not to process “We believe the Dutch are in direct to be branded a G Casino by Rank,
TableMAX sales team, bringing payments from Dutch customers to contravention of the rules of the which operates 33 casinos.
with him more than 21 years online gaming or betting services. internal markets and will be
of experience in the gaming Mark Davies, Betfair’s Managing investigating the matter. The state
industry. Director, said: “This is a desperate has adopted a very protectionist
Most recently Director of Sales of move by the Dutch government to approach to all forms of gambling.”
the Northeast and Midwest regions prevent a company that is fully “We announced last year that at
for Progressive Gaming International licensed and regulated in least ten member states were in
Corporation, Hoffman was jurisdictions across Europe from contravention of internal market
previously Director of Business being accessed by residents in the rules on gambling,” he said. “While
Development for Mikohn Gaming Netherlands. Its actions are against many members have engaged, the
Left to right: Phil Urban, Managing
Corporation, and co-founder and the interests of the Dutch consumer Dutch have completely failed to.
Director of Grosvenor Casinos and
CEO of Sign Spec Incorporated. and fly in the face of the EU There has been no progress at all.” Daniel Gidney from Arena Coventry.
IGT suffers 44 percent profit drop, Bally enjoys a boost
I
GT’s second-quarter profit fell by see stability in play levels,” said prospects,” she continued. “In my a71 Meanwhile, Bally Technologies
44 percent, as falling sales and CEO Patti Hart, who took over on first month as CEO, I have seen the enjoyed a record quarter over the
the costs of restructuring the 1st April this year from outgoing determination of our employees to same period. “Our diversified
business hit home. CEO T J Matthews. capitalize on our industry business model drove another very
“Our second quarter saw “While the environment has been leadership, and I am confident the profitable quarter despite the
continued difficult economic challenging, the success of our results of our efforts will allow IGT challenging economy,” said Richard
conditions worldwide impacting our innovative new products and to emerge a stronger company once M. Haddrill, Bally’s Chief Executive
financial results, but in a number of business efficiency initiatives give we experience a period of sustained Officer. “We continued to build our
jurisdictions we are beginning to us confidence in our future economic stabilization.” recurring revenues.”
4 JUNE 2009
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