Archive for the ‘Payment Processing’ Category
Dublin’s Sports Emporium to host Poker Academy lecture series
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Following the success of its second stop in Birmingham last weekend, leading poker magazine Bluff Europe has announced that Dublin’s Sports Emporium is next in line to host the Poker Academy lecture series.
This Saturday, amateur players can ‘learn from the pros’ as Irish poker legend Donnacha O’Dea passes on his knowledge and wisdom assisted by author and player Alex ‘Pickleman’ Rousso.
The day will consist of three hours of interactive lectures followed by four hours of tournament play with direct supervision from a professional player. Tickets start at £150, which includes the buy-in for the tournament, with lectures covering some of the most crucial concepts in professional poker such as its fundamental theory alongside luck and variance, dealing with defeat and bankroll management.
“This is a great opportunity for intermediate players to come along and improve their game by learning from some of the best players in the country and, hopefully, have a lot of fun at the same time,” said Rousso.
After Dublin, the Poker Academy will move on to London’s Casino At The Empire on May 23 where Phil ‘The Unabomber’ Laak will take over tutorial duties assisted by Rousso.
Categories: Payment Processing
192business launches new German product
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
D-verification company 192business has launched a new German ID check solution using data sources including German credit-agency Schufa.
Categories: Payment Processing, Technology
World Poker Tour Title Sponsor to be PokerStars
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
World Poker Tour Enterprises (WPTE) Incorporated has signed its first international television sponsorship deal for Season Seven of its popular World Poker Tour television series with PokerStars receiving title sponsorship.
WPTE stated that PokerStars would also receive exclusive in-show educational or gaming site and brand integration into all Season Seven ‘original’ episodes, which will feature commentary by Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten, airing in Canada, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
In addition, PokerStars and WPTE will collaborate to create ‘localised’ Spanish/Portuguese-language programmes featuring native commentators for territories in Latin America. In the past, WPTE has aired localised productions of its World Poker Tour series in France, Great Britain, the Philippines, South Korea and Macedonia.
“Television sponsorship is an important part of our business so having the biggest company in the poker industry jump on board is an exciting way to start international distribution of Season Seven,” said Steve Lipscomb, Chief Executive Officer for WPTE.
“We look forward to working with PokerStars as we roll out the latest World Poker Tour programming to fans in these territories.”
Categories: Marketing, Payment Processing
Betfair challenging Dutch government over ban
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Betfair has complained to the European Commission over the Dutch government’s moves to block the British gaming company’s local operations, and is taking legal action against the government in The Netherlands ahead of a possible suit for damages.
The company said the government’s letter to local banks in February asking them to block payments for bets was a breach of EU internal market rules which allow companies authorised in one European Union member state to operate in any other.
It is also challenging the government’s legal authority to send the letter to the banks, and plans to sue the government for damages if its legal action is successful.
Betfair legal counsel Mark Warrington said: “We have to defend ourselves. If our legal action in the Dutch court is successful, we will be issuing a claim for the damages that our business has incurred during the period banks were prevented from facilitating payment. That sum will certainly run into the millions.”
People with bank accounts in the Netherlands, where there is a ban on online gaming by EU-licensed operators, are not able to move money to Betfair’s website to pay for bets.
In a statement, Betfair managing director Mark Davies said: “This is a desperate move by the Dutch government to prevent a company that is fully licensed and regulated in jurisdictions across Europe from being accessed by residents in the Netherlands”.
The row is the latest instalment in the ongoing cases being brought by the Commission against member states over gaming law. EU internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy issued final warnings to Greece and Netherlands over the provision of gambling services to citizens in those countries (more) in February last year.
However McCreevy has faced resistance from European politicians and lobbies to continuing the actions, as many member states are keen to protect revenue from their lucrative state monopolies.
The European Court of Justice, the EU’s top court, has said governments can curb gaming but any restrictions must be in the public interest and applied to all operators in the same way, including state monopolies.
Categories: Legislation, Payment Processing, Technology
