Extortionists target Internet

Virtual gangsters charge ‘ransom’ to websites

Organized crime networks are demanding ransoms from offshore gambling websites, using the threat of shutting them down to extract payouts typically ranging from $45,000 to $67,000. These "cyber-extortionists" infiltrate personal computers without the owners’ knowledge. They use viruses to install secret programs allowing criminals to gain control of thousands or even tens of thousands of computers.

The programs can stay dormant for weeks or even months before hackers activate “zombie computers” to attack an Internet gambling site. These computers to send messages to a particular site. They overwhelm the site. There is no way that site can respond to all these messages coming from all over the world. So the site starts to slow down, crawl, or actually can be just taken down."

That’s when information super-highwaymen send in a ransom demand.

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PartyGaming and 888 in Merger Talks

IGamingBusiness reports that online gambling groups Partygaming and 888 Holdings are in talks about a possible merger.

The Gibraltar-based firms are two of the biggest victims of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) which effectively makes internet gambling illegal.

PartyGaming has since pulled out of the U.S., but Chief Executive Mitch Garber has said the changes are, ' a golden consolidation opportunity for Partygaming'.

The Sunday Times reported executives from the two companies - which would have a joint market capitalisation of almost 1.6 billion pounds ($3 billion) - expected to hold further talks in coming weeks as gaming firms consider options to combine their online pool of players.

PartyGaming has declined to comment on the report. 888 was not immediately available for comment.

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Canada Wants To Ban Online Gambling Ads

Another front in governmental war against online gaming was opened this week when legislators in Canada's Ontario province --- of which Toronto is the largest city --- announced the introduction of a bill intended to stop all advertising for online gaming.

The proposed bill, actually a modification of Ontario's Consumer Protection Act of 2002, is spearheaded by Ontario Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips, who has said that despite the 'illegality' of online gambling, enforcement of existing regulations has not been a high priority.

Since the legislation of online gaming itself does not occur at the provincial level in Canada, the legislation attempts to choke the pipeline somewhat by banning all ads promoting online sites, a practice that does fall within Ontario's enforcement

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What does the average American know about "THAT" act?

More than we think, it seems...

Aaron Todd, a specialist and expert writer on matters gambling published a fascinating opinion piece on the reaction of the average American to the new Unlawful Internet Gambling Entertainment Act this week, pointing out that just 4 percent of Americans have gambled on the Internet.

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Things People Do at Movie Theaters

I loved this article about the annoying things people do when they go watch a movie.

Here are a few choice quotes:

About making out in the movies: “Also, we've all heard the stories about the people who have sex in the theater, and that just makes me very apprehensive about putting my cup in the cupholder. “

About eating in the movies: “A delicious Crunch bar can be just the thing to get you through that godawful Hugh Grant movie you've been dragged to. But the problem that goes along with it is that it makes a shitload of noise, especially popcorn, and when I'm sitting there trying to hear the Hoover Dam blow up or whatever in the climactic final moments of "Die Hard 8: Die Harderererererer," all that chomping is just distracting.”

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Big Oops: Casino Magnate Pokes Hole in Picasso

Picasso’s famed “Dream” painting turned into a nightmare for Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when he accidentally gave the multimillion dollar canvas an elbow.

Wynn had just finalized a $139 million sale to another collector of his painting, called “Le Reve” (The Dream), when he poked a finger-sized hole in the artwork while showing it to friends at his Las Vegas office a couple of weeks ago.

Wynn reportedly raised his hand to show the group something about Picasso’s 1932 portrait of his mistress Marie-Therese Walter, when his elbow crashed backward right through the canvas, tearing a black hole the size of a silver dollar smack in the middle of the painting.

According to reports, Wynn has decided to release the buyer from the sale agreement and to repair and keep the painting himself.

Click here for the whole story.

XXL Club Stops US Bets Despite Promises

Playtech-powered XXL Club has become the latest online casino to ban US players.

Their American operation was ended on Tuesday in response to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Initially the company had been confident in maintaining operations for US players, but in a statement the company revealed that they could no longer continue their US business. 'Given the development during the preceding week, including but not limited to, the unfavourable view of payment processors, financial institutions as well as our software provider regarding online gambling in the US, we have been forced to cease activities and comply with this prohibitionist legislation.'

The company vowed to continue monitoring the US gambling market and will re-open the casino should a viable option present itself.

Source: IGaming Business

WILL BUSH SEND ONLINE GAMING BILL BACK FOR MORE CLARITY?

Washington lobbyist says it is a possibility

A Washington protest against the new Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has produced new information that runs contrary to the almost universal view that President Bush will sign the Act into law tomorrow as part of a port security measure.

Lobbyist Debbie Richardson, who declines to identify her company, organized a small protest in Washington earlier this week, and plans a bigger turnout for November 3.

Richardson claims that during the protest unidentified political sources in the Capitol told her that there is a possibility that President Bush may elect to refer the online gambling legislation back to Congress, since there are too many flaws due to the last-minute nature of amendments that had to be made in order to attach the proposal at the eleventh hour to the port security bill on which it passed.

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All I want for Christmas…

Is a $1.7 million trip to space with 5 friends….

The 2006 Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog of exotic holiday gifts has been revealed. The most exotic is a six-person charter to space.
The chartered trip to space, which sends six passengers 63 miles above the Earth via Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, costs just over $1.7 million. Once those passengers return to mother earth, they get to indulge in an all-inclusive four-night stay on Virgin chairman Richard Branson's private retreat in the British Virgin Islands. So it's worth it. Right?

Check out the list

Internet gambling companies to challenge bill legally

British-based online gambling companies could mount WTO case

Gambling911.com reports that British-based internet gambling companies may be joining forces with the Antiguan government to challenge the new US legislation targeting internet gambling.

Hans Kundnani of the London Guardian is reporting that Sportingbet chief executive Nigel Payne has been in Antigua since Tuesday afternoon and is understood to be meeting the Antiguan authorities to discuss the US legislation. Sportingbet has a licence in Antigua, which allows it to operate servers and customer support in Costa Rica for its US customers.

"Antigua, which has already successfully challenged previous US laws on internet gambling, said yesterday it would be willing to work with UK companies such as Sportingbet to challenge what they see as US protectionism," the report says.
Sportingbet, while maintaining a substantial customer base outside the United States, features several dozens of online gambling licensees, most of which cater almost exclusively to US and Canadian customers.

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Internet gambling stocks: A good time to buy?

Get 'em while their hot....or better yet, get 'em while their not. In the wake of a blood bath that witnessed internet gambling stocks come crumbling down Monday right through into Tuesday, one has to ask themselves: Can it really get any worse?
Aside from PartyGaming and 888.com, most of the other internet gambling firms trading on the London Stock Exchange seem poised to stay put and continue catering to the US market.

Following the passage of an internet gambling bill that sailed through Congress Friday night as an attachment to the popular ports security measure, the online gambling community including the nearly 100,000 member strong Poker Players Alliance, were left wondering if they still had an industry to call their own following Monday's stock carnage and the biggest online poker site, PartyPoker, announcing plans to leave the US.

The banking sector and attorneys calmed nerves somewhat with some encouraging news that gamblers themselves would not be held liable and that banks could only enforce regulations with credit cards.

If a bill passes Congress ordering all hospitals to ensure there is a cure for cancer within a nine month period to cut down on health care costs, that doesn't mean the hospitals would be able to comply. A similar situation exists here where banks have already informed lawmakers they can not and will not be able to monitor checking instruments used for the purposes of online gambling within 9 months, or maybe even 9 years for that matter. The technology is available the same way we have the technology to drive fuel free Hummers. In other words, it's not.
So with that bit of news, can things really get much worse?

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Reaction To Online Gaming Bill Vehement And Outraged

Reaction to the online gaming legislation passed in a late night pre-recess session in Congress has been one of outrage as poker lobbying organizations and support groups prepare for the future.

Late Friday evening, Congress was able to link a bill regarding online gaming to the latest bill regarding American port security.

The online gaming legislation added to the port security bill is very difficult to enforce. While it doesn't outright state that online gaming is illegal, it does outlaw the payment of gaming implements through banks and credit card companies in the United States. It does not address, however, the multitude of online payment systems (such as NeTeller) that exist or what can occur through them.

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