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  Online gambling news archive 2000 to 2008...

Archives 2009   


 

April 2008

Microgaming's newest progressive jackpot game Mega Moolah pays out a record $5.5 million jackpot to a lucky player playing at Blackjack Ballroom casino. 

 

July 2007

The US Government faces commercial sanctions worth $3.4 billion for non-compliance to the WTO's ruling that the UIGEA is illegal.  The UIGEA has been widely universally criticized, with Congressman Barney Frank, chairman of the influential House Financial Services Committee,  as "the stupidest law ever passed."

Commissioner for the European Union's internal market, Charlie McCreevy, labeled the U.S. law "a protectionist measure'' early this year, saying the EU should complain to the U.S. after Congress passed the legislation barring credit card companies from processing payments.

 

March 2007

The World Trade Organization rules that the US unfairly prohibits foreign internet gambling operators from accessing the US market and that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is illegal.  The case against the US Government and the UIGEA is brought by the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua Barbuda whose revenues from online gambling have decreased substantially since the UIGEA was passed.

 

September 2006

U.S. Congress unexpectedly approved a bill making it illegal for banks and credit-card companies to facilitate payments to online gambling sites.  The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has been criticized by the WTO and free trade organizations and saw share prices of US facing online gambling firms, particularly UK based online sportsbooks plummet.

 

May 2006

From June 7 2006, legislation will come into effect in Washington making it a Class C felony for residents to gamble online.  According to the legislation, Washingtonians who are convicted of playing at online casinos or poker rooms face the prospect of up to 5 years in prison, or a $10,000 fine.   In practice, however, it will be unlikely that individual players will be targeted for arrest.  

The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and with just five dissenting votes in the House. It was signed into law by Gov. Christine Gregoire on March 28

 

February 2006

He's at it again.  Despite numerous unsuccessful previous attempts to push anti-online gambling legislation over the line in both the US's house of Representatives and Senate, Virginia congressman Bob Goodlatte has stepped up  yet again.   On the 15th of February Congressman  Goodlatte reintroduced HR 4777..read more

 

February 2006

Italy has become the first European country to move to ban access by its residents to non-Italian licensed online gaming sites.  The move to block all gaming sites not licensed in Italy was put into effect in Italy's 2006 Budget, and specifically identifies 684 internet gaming sites which are considered to be illegal.  The law imposes an obligation on Italian ISP's to block the listed illegal gaming sites, or face fines of up to €180,000 a day for infringemments.

 

January  2006

Looking to cash in on the UK investor's healthy appetite for online gambling stock online casino software developer and licensor Playtech is seeking to raise £175m in an IPO that will value the company at around £550m.  Playtech earned profits of £36m from turnover of £48m and follows Cassava Enterprises and Party Gaming down the path of public listing.

 

December 2005

Kerry Packer, Australian Media mogul and renowned high stakes gambler passed away on December 26.  Australia's richest man, with an empire spanning wide range of industries including television and print media, mining and casinos, Packer was known the world over for his voracious gambling appetite.  Often referred to in casino circles as the 'Prince of Whales' , Packer's gambling exploits were nothing short of legendary, having been known to have won or lost up to $30 million in single gambling sessions.

 

December 2005

Inter Casino wins Gambling Online Magazine's Top Online Casino for 2005, for a fifth straight year.  The Top Online Casino award is voted by readers of Gambling Online Magazine and is arguably the online casino industry's most coveted award.

 

October 2005

On October 22 2005, 45 year old Marty from Florida won $1,966,000 with a single spin playing Gold Rally at Carnival Casino.  This now stands as the biggest ever progressive jackpot won online.  Congratulations Marty!

 

September 2005

The most recent effort by Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl. to ban internet gambling has been defeated in the Senate after a night of debate and political gamesmanship.  Kyl's proposed bill would have required US banks and credit card companies to block payments to internet gambling sites.

 

August 2005

The worlds largest online casino, Casino On Net , is going public.  Cassava Enterprises, owner of Casino on Net or 888casino has announced plans to float on the London stock exchange as early as September 2005.  It is estimated the float will value the company at somewhere around £700 million and USD 1.3 billion.

 

June 2005

In the UK stockmarket's biggest IPO in almost 5 year's online poker giant Party Gaming, owners of partypoker.com went public with a successful first day of trading.   Party Gaming stock finished its debut day of trading with an 11% climb which saw the company's market capitalization nudging the US$ 9 billion value...$800 million higher than the market cap of gambling behemoth Harrah's!

 

March 2005

The US states of Illinois, Georgia and North Dakota signal their intentions to allow online gambling operations from within their states. 

 

January 2005

The US trade officials announce plans to appeal the W.T.O. ruling of November 2003, stating that Antigua and Barbuda, and the W.T.O., were interfering with United States sovereignty.

 

August 2004

Internet casino pioneer, Casino On Net announces the registration of its 8 millionth player.

 

June 2004

Joaquim M becomes the winner of the largest ever online jackpot, taking home a whopping $1,779,827  playing Major Millions slots at Jackpot City on 1 June 2004

 

November 2003

A panel of 3 World Trade Organization judges rules that any attempts by the US government to prohibit US residents from gambling online would be in violation of international trade obligations. The case was brought to the W.T.O. by the Caribbean nation of Antigua Barbuda.  Under the decision, the US could theoretically be forced to change its laws to allow Internet gambling, or face W.T.O. sanctions.

 

July 2003

Jim L. wins $1,683,526.64 with one spin playing Major Millions at Lucky Nugget.  This eclipses Ronald H.'s record as the biggest ever online casino progressive jackpot win.

 

June 2003

Yet another anti-online gambling was passed by the US House of Representatives by a 319-104 majority vote.  The Bill would outlaw the use of credit card, wire transfer, and other payments used to gamble online.  The Bill will now need to be passed by a two-thirds majority of the Senate before it becomes law.  A similar Bill fell over in the Senate a year ago.

 

Feb 2003

Ronald H. wins the largest ever online casino progressive jackpot...an amazing $ 1,626,184.  The jackpot is won playing Microgaming's Major Millions, a  3 reel 3 line slot, at Golden Tiger Casino on 20 February 3003.

 

July 2002

Following their purchase by Ebay, PayPal announce that they will be discontinuing their association with online gambling.  As of mid August it will no longer be possible to deposit into an online casino or sportsbook account using PayPal.  A number of alternate payment methods are now sure to step up and fill the void left by PayPal, including NeTeller and prepaid ATM.

 

July 2002

Bowing to continued political pressure, US banking giant Citibank announces that it will disallow the use of its credit cards for the purpose of making online casino deposits.

 

30 May 2002

The first ever online progressive jackpot over $1 million was won today.  A lucky player playing the Microgaming progressive slot game Major Millions at Captain Cooks Casino won a massive $1,594,649.

 

10 May 2002

The Government of Hong Kong has legislated to make it illegal for operators to offer an online gambling product to Hong Kong residents.  The legislation is designed to protest Hong Kong's significant local gambling industry, and will come into effect prior to the commencement of the 2002 World Cup Soccer event.

 

22 April 2002

A study by British researcher Schema, claims that this year, Europeans will bet more than $3.7 billion online, vs. about $139 billion in traditional venues. By 2005, Schema says, the figure could climb to nearly $15.5 billion.  With growingly hospitable attitudes from European Governments towards e-gambling, coupled with fast-growing residential Internet and broadband penetration, that tolerance is turning Europe into today's e-gambling hot spot.

 

10 April 2002

Major Millions is released by Microgaming.  A 3 reel, 3 line progressive slot game defaulting to a starting jackpot of $250,000, Major Millions is the tenth progressive game to be released by Microgaming, and by far its biggest jackpot game, tipped to be the first online progressive game to hit the magical $1 million mark.  The release of Major Millions follows the recent releases of Triple Sevens, Jackpot Deuces, and Cybertsud Poker progressives, signaling the company's clear intention to dominate the progressives market.

 

14 March 2002

A bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va that would update a 40-year-old law banning telephone wagers (the Wire Act) to cover Internet betting, and online casinos in particular, was passed unanimously by the U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee on crime.  The bill now moves to the full Judiciary Committee for consideration, and if passed there, on to the House and then the Senate for final approval.

 

18 February 2002

In a report published today in USA Today, equity research firm Bear Stearns are quoted as claiming that about 4.5 million people, half of them U.S. residents, regularly gamble online.

 

1 November 2001

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., introduced a bill today that would update a 40-year-old law banning telephone wagers (the Wire Act) to cover Internet betting, and online casinos in particular. The bill represents the latest attempt by US law makers to outlaw the fast growing internet gambling industry in the US.

 

17 October 2001

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed The Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001.  While the Bill was originally introduced with provisions that would make it illegal for US citizens to gamble online, all references to internet gambling were removed from the final Bill.  

 

2 October 2001

Microgaming today announced that one of its major licensees, English Harbour Entertainment Ltd (operators of English Harbour, Silver Dollar, Caribbean Gold casinos) will no longer be using its software for its casinos.  While little is known about the reason for the split, it is believed that Odds On will be the new software supplier for English Harbour Entertainment Ltd.

 

1 October 2001

Leading casino software supplier Cryptologic Inc., announced its decision to purchase well known online gambling portal WinnerOnline.  

 

4 September 2001

Online casino jackpot portal Jackpot Madness today announced that the 65 casino network that it represents has reached the $40 million mark in jackpot payouts.

 

3 September 2001

The Sands Online casino today announced that one of its customers, 'BOBO' (online moniker) won $414,119 playing Rags to Riches.  This jackpot, won at the Sands is the largest jackpot won to date at an online casino.

 

         

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