Today (January 5th) will see the start of a new policy at the microgaming casinos, according to several reliable sources. Observers say the policy is designed to encourage online poker sites on the network to bring in more “fish” (less experienced and therefore more likely to lose than win) players to ensure that the balance between deposits and withdrawals moves closer to the former.

Poker News, commenting on the move, reports that beginning January 5th, MPN will move from the contributed method of rake calculation, in which the operators’ rake is calculated by splitting pots between the total number of players, to the weighted method, whereby rake per room is generated proportionally according to the amount that individual players contribute to each pot.

“Although this may sound confusing to most people, it essentially means that it pays for Microgaming skins to attract players who are more likely to redeposit when they loose their cash playing. In other words, the sites recognize they won’t make money from successful players who cash out winnings over the long run,” is how the poker information site interprets the policy.

The Microgaming Poker Network is not the first to move in this controversial direction; the general strategy has been extensively and publicly debated by operators for some weeks and is already being implemented by major networks such as Boss Media’s International Poker Network, Playtech’s iPoker network and the Bodog network, which penalise skins with higher withdrawal than deposit ratios. The Merge network is also reported to be pursuing a similar policy.

The online division of UK internet gambling group Ladbrokes reports that it has secured a licence from the Italian regulator AAMS to operate a dedicated poker tournament service in Italy. The group plans to launch the online roulette strategy service early in January 2010, following the path of its sibling sportsbook service, which started operating in Italy last year.

With a liberalising trend in the market, Ladbrokes hopes to additionally apply for licences to offer online poker cash games, bingo and casino action into the market in 2010.

“We are committed to expanding the international reach of our online business and Italy is an excellent regulated market opportunity,” said chief executive Chris Bell this week. “We hope that further positive changes in regulations in Italy will allow us to further expand our product range by launching cash games in poker, as well as bingo and casino gaming.” Ladbrokes currently has some 35 000 online gamblers on its Italian books, a spokesman revealed.

Industry consulting company H2 Gambling Capital estimates that the Italian licensed poker business will be worth Euro 280 million in revenues by next year.

The Kentucky state government’s ‘appeal against an appeal’ on its so far unsuccessful and long-running attempt to seize international online gambling domain names threw up a new legal wheeze this week as the state’s outsourced legal eagles tried to find a fresh justification for their seizure attempts.

The lawyers have asked the Franklin County Circuit court to add unspecified names of US citizens and online casinos companies to a lawsuit that seeks the forfeiture of 141 Internet domain names.

Kentucky’s effort to seize those casinos website names, all related to Internet gambling, had been blocked by a January 2009 decision from the Kentucky Court of Appeals, in favor of the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) and other groups, including the Interactive Gaming Council and Sportsbook.com, representing the domain owners.

By doing so the state hopes to strengthen its claims to have jurisdiction, which have so far not been successful.

Though the new motion was made public by Kentucky’s lawyers, none of the names of the US citizens or companies to be added to the seizure effort were revealed, despite requests by attorneys acting for iMEGA.

A decision from the Kentucky Supreme Court is pending after the state’s lawyers challenged the Appeals Court verdict. Oral arguments from lawyers representing both sides of the dispute were heard by the Court in October of this year .

“In the course of the litigation and the Commonwealth’s continuing investigation, the Commonwealth has learned the identity of certain entities and individuals involved in internet gambling operations, some of whom are U.S. citizens,” read the motion from Kentucky’s lawyers. “The Commonwealth asks for leave to amend its Complaint to add causes of action against these individuals and entities in personam.”

Joe Brennan Jr, chairman of iMEGA said: “It’s odd that Kentucky’s lawyers would try something like this at such a late date, since we’re expecting a decision on this matter from the State Supreme Court any day now. It seems like a ‘Hail Mary pass’ to me.”

“We’re unaware of any ‘investigations’ by the state attorney-general or law enforcement in Kentucky,” Brennan added. “The [Kentucky] attorney-general himself asked to be dismissed from this suit last year. And there are no indictments or convictions that would enable Kentucky’s lawyers to add the names of individual US citizens to their seizure action.

“If anything, this last-minute gambit highlights our argument that Kentucky and the lower court provided no due process to the domain owners, since they seem bent on continuing down that path even now.”

The new motion called for a hearing on January 20th, 2010, in Franklin Circuit Court, before Judge Thomas Wingate – the same judge who issued the original seizure orders for the 141 domain names during a secret court hearing with Kentucky’s lawyers in September 2008, where the owners of the domain names were not informed of or given the opportunity to be represented by their own counsel.

The European football governing body UEFA has announced that investigations into a possible case of corruption are in progress against a Bulgarian referee for gambling bonuses.

Anton Genov has been named as the subject of the investigation after irregular online gambling patterns emerged regarding an international friendly last month, UEFA said on Wednesday.

“Following obvious online gambling patterns on the Macedonia v Canada (friendly) on 14 November, and after interviewing the referee in question, UEFA has decided not to appoint Anton Genov to any European matches until further notice while more investigations are carried out,” UEFA announced in a statement.

In the match, four penalties were awarded, two to each side, during Macedonia’s 3-0 victory, according to Reuters news agency reports.

Snow fell in London and much of the southeast on Wednesday, pushing internet gambling and bookmakers to slash the odds on a white Christmas as forecasters warned of heavy snowfalls later in the week, reports Agence France Presse.

Christmas shoppers on Oxford Street and across the capital watched the snowflakes falling thickly after a bitterly cold night, with temperatures dropping below freezing.

The snow did not settle and was expected to turn to sleet and rain later in the day in casino gambling. But more snow was expected on Thursday, forecasters said.

With temperatures set to plunge further, the Meteorlogical Office issued a severe weather warning for the east and southeast this Friday.

Up to 10cm of snow is expected to fall on low ground, rising to 20cm on the hills, with the travel networks likely to be affected, forecasters said.

The early snowfall saw most bookies slash the odds on a white Christmas, and one bookmaker even agreed an early payout for punters who put money on a Yuletide whiteout, AFP reported.

“With just nine days to go until Christmas, the first snowfall has put everyone in a real festive cheer,” bookmaker Paddy Power said in a statement. “It’s been a tough year on everybody’s pockets so why wait until December 25th to receive your winnings when our early Christmas present means you can start celebrating early!”

Paddy Power said it had taken over 4 000 bets on a White Christmas and was set to pay out some GBP 50 000 casino bonuses.

According to BigNews, the world’s largest social networking website, Facebook, will strictly enforce its rules against advertising ‘morally unacceptable’ products like spy cameras, firearms, tobacco and online gambling.

Among the long list of prohibited content is a section code that disallows “internet gambling, including without limitation, any online casino, sports books, bingo, or poker.”

It’s not a question of gambling being singled out, either – the code includes around 20 items that are also ‘verboten’. This includes uncertified pharmaceuticals, inflammatory religious content, pyramid schemes and nudity.

American talk show host and high profile newcomer to the world of online poker, Montel Williams, is being sued for breach of contract and other claims after an online poker venture turned sour, reports WBBM780.

The report quotes from the Montel Media Group gambling web site, revealing that in April 2008 Williams created a solid plan and an ingenious business model that he branded International Team Poker League.

The online gambling plan hit a snag last week when attorneys for Guardian Gaming Ltd. filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court claiming breach of contract by Williams and the league, along with claims of intentional misrepresentation, fraud, unjust enrichment and conversion.

According to the suit, on July 30, 2008, Williams and the ITPL agreed in writing to give Guardian a 25 percent stake in the league in exchange for a $300 000 upfront investment, in a deal that involved setting up and operating an Internet gaming site.

But, Guardian’s suit alleges, Williams and ITPL found another company to complete the tasks delegated to Guardian on more attractive terms, and broke the contract with Guardian on September 18, 2008. To date the Guardian investment has not been repaid.

The five-count suit – claiming breach of contract, intentional misrepresentation, fraud, unjust enrichment and conversion – seeks reimbursement of Guardian’s investment, punitive damages, prejudgment interest and legal fees.

According to the suit, Williams is a resident of Northern Illinois, while ITPL has its headquarters in Mansfield, Texas.

With sports bodies, regulators and law enforcement all focusing on recent football scandals in Europe, an internet gambling and betting company executive stepped forward this week to assure that internet casinos operators are one of the safest bets around.

Interwetten executive Michael Summer told the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that the corruption and match-fixing scandals sweeping soccer were unlikely to earn illegal profits using internet gambling sites due to the sophisticated tracking software in use that is capable of picking up on suspicious betting patterns.

Summer said that would-be fixers are unable to generate wagers large enough to profit from their schemes, and that technology at online gaming sites significantly reduces the possibility of match corruption.

“All of our customers are identifiable and can’t get away with using pseudonyms and false identities more than once or twice,” Summer said. “That makes Internet gaming operations far more secure than traditional betting shops.”

Proposition bets and lower division play are especially scrutinised, Summers revealed, as are regions where corruption is most often encountered….and limits on both odds and wager amounts curtail the use of these avenues to scam bookmakers.

Deutsche Welle reported that online casinos regulated in Europe claim the [corruption] problem lies with illegal and unregulated gambling operators in Asia, noting that organised crime is frequently active behind the scenes.

Games developer Mazooma, is re-launching its brand as a digital content provider to bookmakers and online casinos, says managing director Tony Oliver.

“Eighteen months ago, we embarked on a strategy to focus on delivering online gambling content utilising both the Bell-Fruit and Mazooma brands,” Oliver said this week. “We planned to leverage our extensive back catalogue of machine titles, to provide quality casino games, with familiarity and a trusted brand across various platforms, to supply the LBO (licensed betting office), online and export markets.

“This will provide incremental revenue for the group to compliment its strong machine sales in both the UK pub and export markets. So far we have secured partnership agreements with top brands such as Coral for the LBO sector and Skyvegas.com in the online market with more to follow.”

Mazooma has already secured an exclusive deal with Coral to provide digital B2 and B3 content across its land-based 6 500 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT’s) in the UK.

Following the success of the Cops N Robbers B3 game within the Coral Betting shops, Mazooma has released a B2 version of the game across the UK and plans to introduce a number of other new games over the next 3 months.

John Petit, machines director at Gala Coral, said: “We’ve been delighted with our partnership with Mazooma. The first game, Cops N Robbers has been a great success and we are looking to build on this with the B2 version.”

Mazooma has also signed a game development agreement with Sky Vegas. The online operator is successfully running Snakes & Ladders, Cops N Robbers and Pieces of Eight on its platform and further titles are due to be launched in the coming weeks.

Sky Betting & Gaming md, Richard Flint, said: “Mazooma is a key partner and we are delighted to bring their well known brands and gaming expertise to enhance the experience for all of our customers.”

Paul Malt, director of games design at Mazooma says: “Our games are designed to offer the player a familiar and exciting gaming experience by taking the best titles and features from our extensive analogue back catalogue and then transferring them into a digital game. We approach each game design from the player’s perspective and so far the results have been extremely positive.”

Mazooma, created in 1997, is now a member of the Bell-Fruit Group, concentrating on developing digital content. The company distributes its games across a number of platforms including Orbis, GTS, GGP and The Global Draw, and also boasts a significant export market.

The online gambling industry in conjunction with associations like the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and GamCare had decided to designate and celebrate October 19, 2009 as Responsible Gambling Awareness Day. The online gambling industry and its administrators are aware of the need to disseminate information on responsible gambling. Yesterday several of the leading organizations took significant steps in this regard.

The RGA unveiled a video in London demonstrating how the online gambling industry exhibits and promotes responsible gambling. The video showed how online casinos use technology to protect sensitive consumer information, help players to identify problem gambling symptoms and prevent underage customers from wagering at the casinos. At the release of the video Clive Hawkswood, CEO of the RGA, said “We hope our five minute tutorial will provide (lawmakers) with a quick insight into how operators ensure that for the vast majority, gambling remains a safe and harmless leisure activity.” The RGA also donated $16,000 to Gambling Therapy, which is an international online help service for problem gamblers.

GamCare held its annual conference to coincide with the Responsible Gambling Awareness Day. In a new initiative GamCare announced that the world boxing champion Chris Eubank will be its brand ambassador. Eubank was present at the conference and said that before accepting this role he had acquainted himself with the work that GamCare does. He added, “I am delighted to add punch to GamCare’s excellent work with problem gamblers and their families. I know from my own experience how easy it can be to be sucked into the gambling habit – and also how difficult it is to admit you have a problem and ask for help.” He pledged his total support to the cause.

The industry leaders were also in the forefront at GamCare’s conference. Betfair was one of the sponsors. Betfair Managing Director Mark Davies pointed out that the online gambling operators are concerned with responsible gambling not only on special occasions like this one but all 365 days of the year. He said, “For the small minority of people who may need to seek help at any point in their lives we make sure that they have the tools, advice and support they need to overcome a problem gambling issue.”

Gerry Sutcliffe, Minister for Sport in the United Kingdom, commended the online gaming industry for holding a Responsible Gambling Awareness Day. He complimented the industry’s initiative to promote responsible gambling and stressed the importance of funding the research and treatment of problem gambling. Sutcliffe was hopeful that the initiative would reach out to both consumers and operators and he expected that the Responsible Gambling Awareness Day would become an annual feature.