Gambling News

888.com hosts charity day
888.com, the Worlds No.1 online casino, has announced that October 10th will be its first charity day, in which casino, poker and bingo players can join 888.com in donating to two charity organisations. As part of 888.com's 10th birthday celebrations and its continuing focus on responsible gaming activities, the gaming giant has pledged to contribute $100,000 to charity and to allow players to join the donation by contributing a percentage of their playing money. 888.com's employees will also be participating in special activities to raise awareness of its charity partners.

Everest Poker wins 2 eGaming awards
Everest Poker was the toast of this year's eGaming Review Awards held on Friday 28 September in London by winning both awards they were nominated for; Hot Shot Operator of the Year and Poker Operator of the Year. According to the organizers the Hot Shot Operator of the Year Award "is designed to spotlight the operator that has had the greatest impact on a global level in 2006/7. They will have been the ones to watch during the year and will have shown the greatest promise for the future." Equally, for the Poker Operator of the Year Award eGaming Review were "looking for originality, growth and scale, usability, payment processing and marketing. Special consideration is given to operators looking to innovate in this highly competitive sector."

Catching up to Las Vegas
When the Macau government opened its gambling market to foreign investment a few years ago, it sought companies that could help transform the Chinese seaport from a seedy outpost into a top luxury resort destination where gambling is but one of many popular attractions. The former Portuguese colony wanted to accomplish what it had taken about 40 years to achieve in Las Vegas, where at least half of the Strip's revenue is generated beyond the casino floor. One of Macau's top choices for the job was Las Vegas Sands, a company officials wanted so badly they created a new ownership system, called a subconcession, to accommodate it. The subconcession with Galaxy Entertainment, a Hong Kong construction supplier with political contacts, would pave the way for Las Vegas Sands to begin work on the Asian equivalent of the Las Vegas Strip.

Too much gambling, even for Vegas
Last week, when the Nevada Gaming Commission blocked efforts to allow gamblers to insert debit cards into kiosks for cash-equivalent vouchers that then could be used in slots, regulators scored points with problem gambling advocates who feared the devices might enable compulsive gamblers. Others, though, accused the commission of hypocrisy, saying the vote was a public relations ploy that allowed regulators - and by extension, the casino industry - to claim credit for addressing problem gambling while nixing technology that would not have significantly boosted casinos' profit s anyway. Whatever the motive, the decision will cost some gaming suppliers millions of dollars in potential sales and chill future efforts to introduce technology designed to make gambling more convenient.