Putting an end to speculation that two very large online gambling firms are in consolidation negotiations a report appearing in Format an Austrian financial magazine confirms that PartyGaming and Bwin are talking merger. The deal reportedly worth over four billion dollars shot PartyGaming stocks up on the speculation that this will go through. Format quoted Bwin chairman, and largest shareholder, Hannes Androsch as saying, "it's true that talks are going on, but we don't know yet whether they will succeed".

"The Board of PartyGaming confirmed in a short statement to the London Stock Exchange. "As all such discussions remain at a preliminary stage, there can be no certainty as to whether or not such discussions will result in any form of transaction with any party."

PartyGaming has been making moves on the consolidation front recently with actions like the acquisition of Cashcade, owner of Foxy Bingo and the purchase of the assets of World Poker Tour Enterprises. Merging with Bwin would give PartGaming an advantage position in sports betting. Bwin is not the only potential partner and it is speculated that the U.K.'s 888 Holdings, Sportingbet and Sweden's Unibet, are also in the running for potential mergers.

Bwin shares also climbed higher on the suggestion that it would find a merger deal with PartyGaming.

PartyGaming has been positioning itself for a return to the US market after making a payoff deal with the prosecutors after a two year investigation by the US attorney's office for the southern district of New York. PartyGaming agreed to a $105m settlement to be paid in eight half-yearly instalments until September 2012.

European countries are doing their level best to attract and keep online gambling operators with a vested interest in generating revenues for their countries. Consolidation is the route the gaming companies are taking to take full advantage of the new regulatory regimes offered by the relaxed rules. Mergers and acquisitions will be watched closely by the stock holders of these companies and will drive share prices up as potential grows.

The award winning online gambling group of casinos 32Red announced recently that Nedplay casino will become part of the 32Red's stable. The acquisition of the Nedplay casino, including the player database, domains and intellectual property means that Nedplay casino patrons now have access to the same high level of service and support, as players at 32Red and Dash online casinos. Ed Ware, Chief Executive Officer of 32Red said, “We are pleased to have Nedplay join our group and look forward to delivering the same high standards we apply across our existing operations to the Nedplay Casino”. in Since September of 2005, 32Red has been listed on the London Stock Exchange and is the six times winner of the Best Casino award and holder of the Casino of the Decade title from industry watchdog and player advocacy site, Casinomeister. It has 350 casino games, including over 250 online slots, online roulette and more. Over 80% of 32Red's players are from the UK with 32Red being licensed and regulated in the Gibraltar jurisdiction. The Company operates 32Red Casino, 32Red Poker, 32Red Mobile, 32Red Affiliates, 32Red Bet and DashCasino.com. 32Red has raised the bar for others to follow by pioneering a personal, transparent approach to player support and casino bonuses.

Bryan Bailey of Casinomeister said, “They have maintained their focus since their launch: personable customer service, responsive and effective management, professional solid operations. Publicly traded, fully transparent, and they are bound by an ideology that is based on player satisfaction. These guys have a lot to be proud of…again"

Ware added, "the Casino of the Decade sits above all other awards in this year’s Casinomeister list and it’s one we receive with a great deal of pride. 32Red aimed to be here when we launched the online casino and we’re honoured that, come the end of ‘naughties’, we’re right at the top of our industry."

Scientific Games Corporation is a Nasdaq listed New York USA based games developer with the slogan "Delivering Serious Fun" has made a strategic partnership with online gambling software developer Playtech. Scientific Games through its wholly owned subsidiaries, The Global Draw and Games Media, currently operates approximately 18,000 server-based gaming machines throughout the world. Playtech stock soared with the announcement giving new hope to investors who see the advantages in this partnership. The Scientific Games Corporation will jointly develop and market next generation internet and land based gaming products and services to regulated gaming operators in the USA and elsewhere. Scientific Games' global infrastructure and experience includes, years of experience and strong relationships with various state lotteries and an international presence. The company has a global infrastructure and a respected reputation for the delivery of turn key solutions in complex regulated jurisdictions.

Playtech's Videobet will develop the next generation software for regulated reporting and management systems for gaming terminals. The upgrading of the existing 13,500 fixed odds betting terminals in the U.K. to the Videobet platform will be a priority for Videobet, making it the leading technology supplier to the UK sector.

The CEO of Scientific Games, Mike Chambrello, and Mor Weizer, CEO of Playtech, issued a comment jointly, "This is an important step for both companies. We have highly complementary skill-sets allied with a global reach and this partnership provides the opportunity to leverage off this combined know-how to maximum effect. This is an ideal partnership in many ways. Customers will benefit from best of breed content, sophisticated player management systems, and long-standing industry experience in providing highly secure, regulated, compliance-oriented services." " The related gaming terminal partnership brings the potential for operators to enjoy a technology platform that is seamless, integrated and adaptable both to multiple delivery channels and cross-promotional opportunities."

Super Bowl weekend is rapidly approaching in the USA and with that the strongest action in sports betting in the USA is building up steam. Football in the USA is watched by millions. It is team oriented with strategy and an all American contact sport. This is a major 'cultural' event in the States and people from everywhere have a pool or some action happening on the outcome. Online gambling outfits are extremely busy from here on in until the big game is played. Already the line odds are being posted as the playoffs continue to shift the current win or loose spread. It is interesting to watch the long shot NY Jets come from way behind in the standings

When the playoffs started the odds makers were favouring the Indianapolis Colts and they are still the favourites for now. The playoffs gives online sports books plenty of time to watch the changing status of the teams and the individual betting on each game gives the online sports book a chance to make some money. Pool betting is good for the house usually, and the Super Bowl pool is no exception. There are 32 wagering options but only one winner. Because money is pumped into the pool on a year round basis, bookmakers have plenty of opportunities to adjust the odds in their favour. If certain teams are wagered on too heavily, their odds can be adjusted. In addition, teams that aren’t getting much support can have their odds adjusted to a higher payout to lure in more wagers. Lottery tickets are similar, the larger the prize pool the more people buy in and the odds of winning get smaller. In sport betting though you have knowledge of how well the teams have been performing and stats on the players, it can be an educated bet.

Online gaming network operator, Cashball Ltd., Sweden’s gaming technology provider, NYX Interactive and the online game show pioneer Amuso will be pooling their resources and creating a new gaming experience for players in the United Kingdom. By combining their unique qualities the three companies are developing a trivia gaming network with an integrated bingo and casino platform based on the NYX interactive model. The network will feature major TV quiz shows to enhance the appeal of online cash gaming entertainment with the intent of engaging a larger customer base. The Cashball bingo network will go live in Britain in early 2010 and will be syndicated to existing and new media partners. The alliance is a positive move to gain a bigger piece of the online pie with hopes of maintaining a much stronger market. Amuso already has a strong market share in the U.K., currently operating standalone cash trivia platforms on a number of media and social networking partner sites with a combined reach of over 15 million users.

Cashball Ltd, will see the deal launch the first Cashball U.K. bingo network with its existing Spanish and Scandinavian networks. Swedish gaming technology provider, NYX Interactive, will get the opportunity to establish itself in the U.K. with the wider advantage of the European market. NYX Interactive's director of sales and marketing, Steve Cook, said, “The tie up between the three companies is very significant because, in partnership Amuso and NYX can deliver a strong portfolio of games and gaming products while Cashball Ltd. will provide the operations and support. There is a unique fit between bingo and entertaining quiz games and NYX is pleased to offer Amuso’s branded games to our existing customers while Amuso will offer our bingo.”

Amuso's co founder and CEO, Barak Rabinowitz, commented, “We are thrilled to partner with NYX and Cashball Ltd. to bring a fresh and compelling offering to the market. The NYX platform will enable us to lead the market for trivia gaming in the UK and beyond."

Cashball Ltd's, head of international operations, Carl Ståhle, stated, "The combination of trivia, bingo and casino fits our target group perfectly and the variation of the entertainment will encourage people to spend more time playing. We look forward to adding the Amuso Trivia as part of our full service offering.”

Alain Cousineau, the current Loto-Québec CEO, said in a speech to the Montreal Board of Trade last year, "Casino operations require a large workforce," "We work in a saturated and almost mature market where operational costs rise more quickly than revenue."Our biggest challenge will be to maintain profit margins without sacrificing service quality because we are in the field of entertainment where customers want extraordinary experiences." Loto-Québec has a request into the government for approval to get into online gambling in a partnership with B.C. Lottery Corp. and the Atlantic Lottery Corp.

The other organizations have been dabbling in online gambling offering sports betting, bingo and lotteries. The partnership proposes going the one step further by offering larger stake ventures like casino action and poker. This is a huge political leap for authorities in Canada because politicians don't want to been seen as promoting gambling. It is estimated that Canadians spent $675 million on online gambling in 2008 and that number is expected to grow to $1 billion by 2012.

Michael Lipton, a Toronto based gaming law lawyer said it was important for the agencies to collaborate in order for them to be competitive with the existing online gaming operations located in Mohawk territory in the province of Quebec. The B.C. Lottery Corporation's initiative is well on it's way to becoming a reality. It is rumoured to have made a deal with British based Orbis Technology Ltd. for it's software requirements as well has having a business model for it's regulatory framework, notably the Alderney jurisdiction. To be really viable a larger customer base has to be established and a partnership of the three organizations would benefit all of them. If Mr. Cousineau manages to get approval from the political authorities it is speculated this would be a great achievement for the CEO. Making online gambling work in Canada may be a step in the right direction for future revenue sources which British Columbia defines as progress.

The Canadian Institute's 5th Annual Legal and Business Guide to Gaming in Canada conference is coming to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the spring of 2010. The conference will provide much needed knowledge in the ever changing developments in the Canadian gaming industry. The Canadian gaming industry operates in an environment where changes in the regulatory framework, technologies and business trends are constant and fast. If you are a professional in this field, it is critical for you to understand the developments and changes to manage compliance, foresee risks and limit possible pitfalls. Having the essential tools and insights will keep the business competitive and make the gains so often associated with running an efficient online gambling firm. Gaming lawyers, regulators, lottery and casino executives and gaming equipment and software manufacturers will all benefit from a comprehensive list of speakers. Topics include, balancing the risks and opportunities of operating online gaming operations in a grey regulatory environment, strategies for adapting to the latest legal and regulatory developments in land-based gaming operations, minimizing your exposure and liability to problem gambling lawsuits, exploring the opportunities in Aboriginal gaming and understanding how you can be part of them, and overcoming obstacles and anticipating the trends in sports betting. There is also a pre-conference workshop on "The Fundamentals of Gaming Law in Canada" giving everyone interested an opportunity to network and discuss problems with industry professionals with experience in the field.

The Canadian Institute operates as a think tank, monitoring trends and developments in all major industry sectors, in the law, and in public policy, with a view to providing information on the leading edge. Headquartered in Toronto, The Canadian Institute produces over 180 events a year, and for over 20 years, The Canadian Institute's conferences, summits and executive briefings have provided the business intelligence that Canadian decision makers need to respond to challenges and opportunities around the world.

A new system for the online gambling authorities is about to be unveiled at the show of all gambling shows coming soon to London. The IGE-ICEi is going to be a bang up event with many of the latest changes having their debut. One of the most successful jurisdictions, the States of Alderney will be showing off it's more useful changes made to the licensing regime. A framework that is more in tune with what is going on in the rest of the online gambling universe. Alderney's commitment is to making it's system of regulations a more compatible one that allows for the inclusion of other frameworks

The modular system is the basic model, which allows operators to custom build with just their particular requirements. This way of building a company has allowed firms to save costs and therefore be more competitive. The Alderney jurisdiction has possibly the lowest fee structure of all the regulated jurisdictions. These changes are going to allow Alderney to keep that reputation.

Robin Le Prevost, Alderney’s director of eCommerce Development, said, "However well thought through, a significant revision of the licensing legislation fills you with some trepidation as to how it will be received," adding, "But I think we can say, even though it is early days, [that] the new scheme seems to have hit exactly the right note, and enquiries and applications have shown a significant increase." He went on to say, "2009 continued a pattern of growth for Alderney as a jurisdiction, but was a difficult year for some - especially the new start-ups, but one can sense a new energy and we are very much looking forward to 2010." Some of the changes are in keeping with the usual technical advances in the cyber world, the advent of cloud computing being one of them.

Just nine months ago a new chief executive officer was installed in Malta's online gambling licensing and regulatory body. The Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) of Malta has a sterling reputation as one of the most respected jurisdictions in the world. Reuben Portanier says it has 335 gambling operations in it's portfolio that is continually growing. The Sunday Times newspaper recently was granted an in depth interview with the new CEO who thus far has maintained a presence generally below the radar of media attention. 

In the interview Portainier took the opportunity to sell the jurisdiction and to mention that fourteen members of it's 52 strong staff, which includes certifiers, auditors, and legal experts will be present at the upcoming IGE and ICEi conferences coming soon to London U.K. He also mentioned that despite a slow down in the economy Malta's online gambling industry still looks strong and enjoys a positive outlook. Two hundred and fifty operators of online gambling establishments own the three hundred and thirty five granted licences representing as much as 19 million euros in gaming revenues for Malta which has increased from 15.9 million euros the previous year. This upward trend is expected to continue Portainier explained. This will be the seventh time that the LGA will participate in the ICEi event pointing out that at least half of the entire exhibition space will be occupied by the companies that are licensed in the Maltese jurisdiction.

Portanier also pointed out in the article, "Maltese audit firms, real estate agents, telecommunication providers, law firms and other operators will attend. International participants will include the industry's top operators, regulators, and service providers, The entire i-gaming ecosystem will be present under one roof; delegates are able to visit several jurisdictions without having to travel extensively.
It is important that operators seeking to establish their business in Malta have full visibility of what the local business environment is like. They usually seek information about the tax regime and business friendliness; 95 percent of the queries are technical or legal, but others focus on issues like property prices and the crime rate."

Tell Gaming the online gambling company, has recently announced they will introduce a new poker site offering long time players a portion of the actual company. Players who enjoy the site will receive as a bonus 'ownership units' of the firm which can be maintained by the player even if Tell Gaming grows or merges with other gambling companies. Profits from the company will be distributed to the customer as long as the firm remains solvent. This unique idea gives players a chance to gain real equity in Tell Gaming while enjoying casino games and poker.

Twenty percent of Tell Gaming is owned by it's most loyal customers already who received a dividend payout split among them of as much as 30,000 euros. The announcement that an additional five percent of the company is still available has created a buzz in the ranks of the busy poker players on the site.

Tell Gaming's marketing manager, Thomas Jonsen, said, "We're grateful to our players and rewarding them with a stake in our company is something we are very passionate about, and we hope to pay an ever higher dividend to our players within the next 12 months, as Tell Gaming continues its expansion."
Tell Gaming was created in 2006 a number of enthusiastic Swedish players. The concept was to make an exciting gaming site that favoured many winners. Tell Gaming realized there customers were the most important factor for the continued existence of the company, and decided that rewarding loyal players with equity in their company would keep those players coming back for more action. Not only does Tell Gaming distribute shares in the site but it also offers a live poker school where players can ask questions and learn the skill of poker playing from Andreas Hurtig, a poker pro and mathematics whiz on the game's finer points while following a live cash or tournament game in real time.