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Lawsuit Filed Against Full Tilt Poker by Clonie Gowen

Full Tilt Poker has been making news with allegations of foul play in their decision to retract aspects of an eight-year old contract between themselves and poker pro, Clonie Gowen. A lawsuit was filed against Tiltware, LLC, Full Tilt’s parent company which named many of the popular site’s biggest stars in its description.

The dispute is over a series of conversations which took place between Full Tilt Poker executives and Clonie Gowen via telephone and a Las Vegas meeting in 2004. After supposedly firm agreements to have Gowen join Team Full Tilt Poker as the newest pro sponsor the site rescinded the offer and removed promotional material involving the player from their web pages just last week. Now that her image has been removed from the popular poker client the pro player is apparently upset with the decision. Gowen claims to have “signed” an oral contract with Full Tilt Poker but fully acknowledges that no written material was ever produced.

If the lawsuit is successful, Full Tilt Poker will be one of the many recent poker sites to make news for scandal surrounding their business. Although Pokerstars came out of a similar situation unscathed after Natalie Teltscher attempted to sue the company, Full Tilt Poker will have to be careful to handle their time in the media spotlight appropriately.

PKR Gets Romantic through Partnership with Lovestruck

The innovative minds behind PKR have decided to take their work even further through the recent decision to partner with UK online dating network, Lovestruck. Stemming from their seemingly constant awareness of social poker playing, the two companies now hope to join their services through special, weekly events in order to cater to poker-loving singles.

PKR and Lovestruck will kick off the events with a brick-and-mortar meet up at the Hoxton Pony in Curtain Road, London on Thursday November 6th. This first event is intended to generate (and gauge the success of) interest in the idea of bringing the world of poker and dating together. Through the rest of November users who register through Lovestruck.com will be able to log onto special poker events at the partnered site. The “Lovestruck Evenings” will begin on November 17th at 8pm with a free tournament followed by a series of low buy-in events. Singles can continue to mingle with one another through subsequent offerings which will be available once a day, every week at PKR.

Considering the social aspect PKR has always encouraged in gamers the move to concentrate on dating services actually seems like quite a natural one. The built-in audiences of both Lovestruck and PKR should ensure at least some level of success for the venture with only time being the true judge of whether this amalgamation is something we can expect to continue throughout the industry.

Littlewoods Improvements Come as 888.Com Partners with Sportech

Both the poker and casino versions of Littlewoods are set for major improvements as the partnership between Sportech and 888.Com has been recently focused on this branch of their overall network. Players can expect an overhaul of existing services so that several improvements can be implemented toward better service and gaming.

Sportech has been working on massive redesigns of Littlewoods Poker and Casino after acquiring business with these sites through their partnership with 888.Com. Now fans of the Littlewoods brand are set to receive some pretty great rewards for their patronage. Along with new gaming options, further bonuses and rewards are being planned with the backing of 888 providing additional funding. Travel packages to various locales, more substantial sign-up/referral bonuses and an increase in tournament offerings are all expected to go online at Littlewoods as soon as work is complete. New VIP incentives have also been discussed in press releases which seek to reward faithful players with exclusive gaming and event opportunities.

This is great news for Littlewoods fans and is sure to attract new traffic to both the casino and poker iterations of their service. Sportech is renowned for their expertise in software development and fan following. Their involvement with 888.Com and Littlewoods is bound to create a lot of positive attention for both companies involved in the work.

PartyGaming and Cryptologic Ready Six New Gaming Titles for Future Release

Noted software developer, Cryptologic and premier online casino, PartyGaming have recently formed a partnership which will soon see new gaming titles released for users to experience. Both companies stand to enjoy immense benefits from their venture while giving something new to devotees of the PartyGaming platform.

Chief Executive Officer for PartyGaming, Jim Ryan spoke to press regarding the deal with Cryptologic and expressed delight that his company would soon be able to benefit from a business relationship with such a well-known, reputable developer. The five-year licensing agreement signed by both parties is set to see six new games released in the near future. Although details haven’t yet been released as to which software titles have been purchased (and where they will end up on the PartyGaming network), the news is still exciting when viewed as a sign of things to come through the high-profile partnership.

The development of six new casino titles is just the tip of the iceberg for PartyGaming as well. Cryptologic’s deal with the network promises to yield even more quality titles for fans to play as time goes on which should assist in keeping the network relevant and exciting within the competitive industry. Considering the recent losses in business for Cryptologic, the high-profile nature of these changes could end up breathing some new life into their company.

William Hill Move to iPoker Network

Online gambling giant, William Hill has announced an imminent move to the similarly popular, iPoker Network. Through a surprising partnership with software giant, Playtech, William Hill is now set to venture forward into a period of increased concentration into the field of online poker.

The process of joining up with Playtech has resulted in the birth of William Hill Online, a brand new client for fans of the popular gaming company. William Hill has left Cryptologic behind (to currently suffering traffic ratings) and will now attempt to maneuver some of their users over to the new poker tables. While the company enjoys enormous success as a bookkeeping and sports betting agency, poker represents a fairly new field of the online gambling trade for them to try their hand at. iPoker expect a similar increase in business as their service becomes flooded with brand new users who may be willing to follow William Hill more enthusiastically by way of their improved poker networking.

Players who enjoy William Hill’s other offerings will surely enjoy the transition, especially as the poker site grows through affiliation with the iPoker Network. The company should be able to profit immensely from the joint venture between themselves, Playtech and the iPoker Network, competing with other premier poker sites as a level opponent.

FreeRollPoker Releases Email Alert Service for Users

FreeRollPoker, an online poker site which is steadily gaining in popularity has announced the release of an email alert feature which hopes to attract attention while keeping users up to date. The service promises to keep the site’s members abreast of any freeroll tournament scheduled in the near future so that players won’t miss out on games they might enjoy.

David Carlyle, creator of FreeRollPoker believes that there is an inherent flaw in current methods of online poker room’s news delivery services and hopes that his site has the best possible solution. Carlyle spoke of common issues concerning those online poker players who snatch up freeroll registration and professionals who take seats from casual gamers so that they can make money without the risk of a buy-in. FreeRollPoker’s subscription service is set to change this through the partnerships it’s management has forged with leading companies such as Betfred Poker, William Hill and Paddy Power. Through specific agreements, FreeRollPoker members will be able to receive notification of upcoming freerolls far enough in advance that they have a much better chance of beating the crowd toward reserving a spot.

It is an interesting and innovative idea to be sure but only time will be able to fully determine if it’s relevant enough to truly catch on across the industry. The service has taken pains to ensure that no spam will be sent to subscribers and that a solid community of players will be able to make good use of their efforts. Those interested in the concept should head over to FreeRollPoker.co.uk themselves to check it out.

770.Com Announces the Release of New Versions for Software

One of the most popular online gambling businesses, 770 has announced the release of new versions of games from their poker and casino offerings. 770 are hoping to accelerate interest in their site while simultaneously providing some new entertainment and fresh experiences for existing users of their client.

Immediately obvious changes to 770 Poker and 770 Casino involve a more immediate, “click-and-play” style of interface designed to make getting into any kind of game quicker and more convenient. Access to community forums, tutorials, blogs, support staff or promotional information is now available from any point of the page which means that navigating away from a game for any other business is now easier than ever. Visual designs have also been revamped in order to breathe a bit of new life into the service and give faithful players a nice change of pace. With the release of new software, 770 Poker and Casino are set to receive a duly earned influx of traffic which should aid in giving the company even more prestige within the industry.

There is no word yet on whether the last remaining 770 offshoot, Arcades 770 will receive similar treatment as the poker and casino clients have but it seems likely that we’ll hear an announcement regarding this soon. The new software is online now and ready for users to take a spin on so check it out today and see what you think.

PlayingBingo.Com and Historian Seek to Question American Claim to Bingo Name

Die-hard bingo fans should be extremely pleased to know that historian, Dr. Carolyn Down has heavily researched and published an article detailing the ins-and-outs of the beloved game’s past. Among the information uncovered by Dr. Down and her commissioner, PlayingBingo.Com has come the difficult question of whether the name ‘bingo’ itself actually stems from British or American roots.

Dr. Down traces bingo from its earliest forms to the success it currently enjoys in contemporary Great Britain and Ireland in her article titled, “A History of Bingo in the UK”. Her research begins as far back as 16th century lotteries and extends all the way to the present day success of online bingo. Most interesting is Down’s questioning of whether Brits should accept the supposed American heritage of the name “bingo”. Usually attributed to Edwin Lowe, a Beano player who accidentally shouted ‘bingo!’ the article instead finds evidence that the term was already in use within the UK during the same time and may actually have originated in Western Europe.

Whatever your stance on the etymology of the game’s name the writing promises to be very entertaining for enthusiastic players. “A History of Bingo in the UK” should come as a welcome addition for fans of the game interested in learning more about the roots of their favourite pastime. The article represents the most current and in-depth study regarding bingo ever written and hosts a great amount of information for the avid player.

MailOnline Reports UK Gambling Addiction on the Rise

MailOnline, one of the best known UK newspapers has recently reported a rise in problem gambling as evidenced by statistics gathered through the betting addiction helpline, Gamcare. With some advocates aiming to strengthen gambling restrictions in reaction it seems that responsible gamblers may soon find themselves moving backward due to overall trends.

The newspaper article suggests that relaxed gambling legislature may be to blame as the figures seem to correlate with the Labour government’s more liberal rules from years past. MailOnline reported numbers which showed a shocking increase in problem gaming as supported by Gamcare’s figures. The statistics in question demonstrate a twenty-five percent increase in individual aid requests through the support hotline during this time period. One of the main issues identified by anti-gambling groups has been the relative ease present in modern gambling through virtual casinos, poker rooms or bingo halls’ ability to gain quick access for any players available. Some gaming opponents have spoken out that problem gambling needs to be stamped out, especially during these times of economic uncertainty and skyrocketing personal debts.

With rising problem gambling becoming an issue it is unclear how a proper solution can be reached. Increases in restrictive legislature do not always equal an appropriate, positive response as past efforts and various national policies suggest. For now, any gambler troubled by their own or someone else’s habit should get in touch with Gamcare to seek aid.

Google Repeals Gambling Advertisement Bans in the UK

Search-engine giant, Google has announced that it will soon be allowing UK gambling ads through its services in a turn against the 2004 global ban against this very practice. By effect of this new effort Google will now be able to support gambling advertisements from registered companies in England, Scotland and Wales.

UK internet users can expect to begin seeing gambling spots through their computers starting early next week as Friday marks the first day of the repeal. Google was able to allow their platform’s advertisement support through a clause which necessitates that every participating company be registered under the Gambling Commission or National Regulator (the latter for those businesses within the European Economic Area). Search-engine advertisements will be filed through Google’s filters. The powerful corporation has revealed that gambling ads will be screened as ‘not family-safe’ and will therefore only show up for users without any filters applied in their settings.

James Cashmore, Google’s entertainment and media leader told press that the decision to change their position on advertising was based on a careful review of their British policies. The repeal will allow premier gambling sites the opportunity to reach a far greater audience than ever before. Gibraltar-based companies who normally lack UK market penetration (such as 888.Com and PartyGaming) will now be able to take advantage of the Google repeal to great effect.

Phil Hellmuth’s Ego Blows Out of Control with Look-a-Like Contest

The well known “Poker Brat”, Phil Hellmuth has just taken his legendary ego to new heights with the announcement of a look-a-like contest. To mark the occasion of his attempt at a twelfth World Series of Poker bracelet the player is launching perhaps his grandest publicity stunt by rounding up twelve models and an impersonator to accompany him during upcoming games.

Hellmuth certainly deserves the level of recognition he receives having established himself as a major force in online and physical casinos across the world. Currently holding eleven gold bracelets and the record for most WSOP cashes (at sixty-nine overall) the Poker Brat is now setting his sights on grabbing up a twelfth championship to further cement himself as a presence in the poker world. The winner of Hellmuth’s outrageous contest will receive £2,000 and the chance to hang out with the man himself as he brags and plays throughout upcoming games.

Those who think they bear a striking resemblance to the Poker Brat should check out the contest and see if they’re interested in entering. For the rest of us, look forward to what is sure to be on many highlight reels when Phil Hellmuth makes his grand debut with twelve models and a personal look-a-like at his side.

UK Online Bingo Game Aims to Set World Record

ITV and British bingo fans are about to attempt a Guinness World Record by garnering support toward a try for the record of the world’s largest online bingo game. A mounting jackpot which has gone unclaimed for an unprecedented length of time is going to be up for grabs through the televised event, set for this Friday on ITV1.

The record-breaking attempt will be presented by celebrity hosts, Michael Underwood and Nichola Dixon through ITV1’s Bingo Night Live during the Golden Jackpot Friday events. Producers of the show are expecting a large number of UK bingo fans to tune in and try for their chance at the enormous prize while making history in the process. The unclaimed reward has reached the sum of $104,565, an amount larger than any which has ever been played for through an online venue. While having almost been won several times in the weeks leading up to the event, Underwood and Dixon expressed disbelief that the combined payout has continued to skyrocket to such an enormous amount.

The jackpot has lead to increased publicity for Bingo Night Live and the online gaming style itself to the obvious delight of the show’s executive producer, Michael Kelpie. Interested bingo players should tune in to Bingo Night Live this Friday at 11.45PM for their chance to participate (or even win at) this event.

Poker Survey Ranks Most Intimidating Professions

A recent survey of the poker world has determined the top professions and celebrities viewed as formidable opponents by industry professionals. The results are somewhat along the lines of what you would expect but the listings are still interesting enough to take a look at as they reveal the skills which poker players most value and fear at the tables.

Actors received 29 percent of the votes due to their ability to ‘become’ another person entirely with stockbrokers (27 percent) taking second place for their career-making skills in odds and mathematical speculation. Politicians (13 percent) and accountants (11 percent) came in third and fourth, the former being feared for their ability to naturally make use of convincing lies and the latter for their knowledge of figures and percentages. Lastly, comedians and public speakers held 6 percent of the overall votes because of their high level of comfort in banter and being scrutinized publicly.

The character traits found in the five occupations make a lot of sense and may give a bit of support to the waves of celebrity poker players often signed to premier gaming sites and teams. The poll also asked participants to name a few specific celebrities they would hate to meet at a poker table. Sir Alan Sugar was number one with other notable celebrities including Professor Stephen Hawking and terrifying television chef, Gordon Ramsay placing in the top rankings of results.

Sun Bingo Give Away £250,000 Houses in New Promotion

Sun Bingo, one of the UK’s best known and heavily trafficked online bingo venues have decided to up the ante this fall with a series of promotions that want to give lucky winners a new home. The home giveaway prizes are part of a larger effort by Sun to breathe some new life into their site as the season changes and more bingo players start staying indoors and online.

The homes up for grabs at Sun Bingo are worth up to £250,000 with the company allowing winners to pick their spot and house (as long as it falls under the allocated 25K value) from any location within the UK. From August 27th to September 30th, bingo fans that log onto Sun and play select games will have their names entered into the draw. The prize itself should be enough to attract plenty of attention but Sun Bingo have also made a point of revamping old favourites and adding some new manners of play to further elevate the excitement.

Among the updated fare are Bingo 75, Bingo 80 and Bingo 90 games with these options now having the included potential for free tickets and two-for-one offers. Entirely new features such as Gold Digger, Whack-a-Moley and the WAGS Shopping Spree have been added as well. Chat rooms are also being given the treatment with improved designs and additional features for loyal users to try out. All of these changes are being implemented as you read so interested UK bingo fans should check out the new Sun Bingo for themselves.

New Application Makes Avoiding Poker Sharks Simpler

Although other screening methods do exist which attempt to keep players aware of poker sharks, a brand new program has just been launched which should make the process simpler than ever before. The ‘Interactive Fish-O-Meter’ is available now for interested users to check out.

The application screens through various criteria entered by the user to allow for a warning of any site that is deemed ‘fishy’. The online climate in many poker rooms can be pretty foreboding for new players just looking to get acquainted with the game and the Fish-O-Meter can go a long way toward helping make the learning curve a more comfortable one. Using the program, players can check out geographical locations, bankrolls and gaming details of a top-three result listing of sites picked by them before deciding on the best site to play from. The widget allows for players to spend less time worrying about potential sharks at every table and instead seek out games that are more appropriate for their skill and comfort level.

It’s worth a look for anybody, novice or experienced, who want to enhance and safeguard their playing experience online. The Interactive Fish-O-Meter is one of the better tools available within the category and definitely warrants taking a look at. The widget is available through the SitAndGoPlanet poker site and is free for use for any visitor.

Turkish Gambling Websites Close Down in Droves

The future of online gambling continues to look grim for Turkey as approximately five hundred gaming sites closed today. An increasing internet censorship effort within the nation seeks to close out the possibility of any further betting avenues for its populace.

Turkey, a nation still attempting to join with the European Union, is well known for their harsh legislature regarding online access. The President (and founder) of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatűrk has publicly demonstrated internet censorship which recently went so far as to ban the immensely popular video sharing network, YouTube over a few videos which criticized his leadership.

The government is also actively working to shut down the Superbahis network, a move that generated the most attention when Superbahis' owners, Sportingbet saw two of its employees detained by Turkish police during a vacation stop in the country. It continues to be extremely difficult for any gambling companies to set up internet options within the nation which has so far banned more than eight hundred international websites from being accessed.

It seems fairly hopeless for any Turkish gamblers looking for access to their favourite games online. Although there are still a small number of websites which service Turkey, none of them actually operate within the country for fear of government prosecution.

PKR Receive Prestigious Industry Award

The critically acclaimed UK poker site, PKR has recently been made the recipient of the 2008 eGaming Review Awards ‘Hotshot Operator of the Year’ prize. The award is a great acknowledgement of PKR’s dedication toward innovation and excellence within the business of internet poker and should help to boost traffic at the site.

Independent panels of business experts oversee and hand out the eGaming Review Awards every year as a method of providing attention for those services which truly excel in the industry. The event took place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on September 19th, making it the fourth annual occurrence of the ceremony. PKR not only took home the aforementioned Hotshot Operator of the Year award but the company was also nominated for the
Poker Operator of the Year (along with 888.com, Everest and Party Gaming). Malcolm Graham, CEO of PKR told press that he was excited to have taken home the prize and stated that he hoped the recognition would lead to further attention in the future.

PKR has been well-known as one of the most interesting and unique virtual poker rooms on the internet for some time but their critical reception hasn’t always meant an equal level of traffic. The distinction of receiving an eGaming award may help to boost awareness of the site and draw more players to PKR in the future.

PokerStars Advertisement Banned by UK Committee

Pokerstars
The British Advertising Standards Authority has banned yet another gambling ad which they deem irresponsible. This time the removed ad was the product of Isle of Man based company, PokerStars and featured only the picture of a player and a quote regarding his stance on how to succeed in the game.

PokerStars launched their ‘Play Mind Games’ advertising campaign a short while before having one of the posters removed. The material in question may seem tame but the ASA’s verdict found it inappropriate enough to level the charges set against it. The PokerStars poster features card playing professional, Daniel Negreanu holding a hockey stick with the quote, “Poker is a sport of courage, conviction and confidence” placed underneath his image. The ASA argued that the advertisement likened poker to sexual conquest and self-improvement, traits that the committee decided shouldn’t be seen by impressionable children and young adults. PokerStar’s spot was criticized as offering a path to personal growth through gambling even though the company replied that this was not, in any manner their intention.

The popular poker business maintained that the quote on Negreanu’s poster referred only to the game itself and aspects of it that players view as valuable characteristics. Despite PokerStar’s seemingly appropriate rebuttal the ASA still managed to ban the poster so it will not be available for public use again.

Cricklewood Beacon Bingo Hall Burns Down

A Cricklewood bingo hall has been left in desecration after a fire raged on for over four hours, destroying the front area of the cherished playing venue. The Beacon Bingo hall is set to re-open in the next short while however, news that cheered gaming fans and management alike.

Firefighters attempted to extinguish the flames which started in the early morning last week (which luckily placed the accident at a time when the club wasn’t staffed or running any games). The accident was reportedly caused by an electrical fault which sparked out of control during the night. Fortunately, metal security shutters contained the majority of the fire so that, aside from the front-end of the hall, the bulk of the venue was left relatively unscathed. This news follows after the closure of a Mecca Bingo hall close by, making gaming options scarce for Cricklewood bingo fans until the damage can be repaired at the Beacon.

Simon Hannah, Chief Executive of Beacon Bingo’s parent company, Riva Gaming Group, expressed happiness that the damage was mostly superficial and that the hall was empty at the time of the fire. He told press that, aside from a bad visual appearance, work so far has lead management to believe that the fire was not as devastating as initially believed. The Cricklewood Beacon Bingo hall is planned for re-opening early this week pending the length of time needed for proper restoration.

Full Tilt Poker Sponsors Blind Poker Player

Premier online poker room, Full Tilt Poker has announced the sponsorship of a new player as part of their team of reputable professionals. Hal Lubarsky, a blind American was added to the roster last week and now joins the company of many other prestigious players from the Full Tilt family.

Lubarsky has been playing poker for over thirty years but has only recently begun to make news within the industry. At last years 2007 World Series of Poker, ESPN featured an interview with the American that helped to boost his notoriety, ultimately helping to secure the Full Tilt sponsorship deal. Lubarsky wrote on the site’s forums to express his gratitude regarding being signed by the company along with his excitement about his ability to play in upcoming tournaments. He also posted thanks to those Full Tilt players who discussed and followed his career after the life-changing ESPN interview, citing them as one of the biggest catalysts toward his new opportunities as a poker professional.

The player was a regular at brick and mortar casinos in Vegas before loosing his vision. Now, with the aid of readers, Lubarsky is able to play poker again and in a much higher profile manner. His inclusion in the team (which also features such stars as Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman, David Benyamine and more) is set to get Hal Lubarsky into more games than ever.

iMega Association Challenges UIGEA Domain Seizures

The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (or iMega) has decided to challenge the legality of the UIGEA’s seizure of several online gambling domains in Kentucky. The United States stance on internet poker, casinos and similar services is still fairly restrictive but the group hopes they can at least defeat some instances of the repression.

iMega essentially seeks to promote freedom in internet access by arguing against website restrictions that seemingly go against the American constitution. The group is currently focusing the majority of their efforts toward online gambling, hoping to come to agreements with legislative bodies that would allow for some form of controlled, real-money internet gaming. Recent UIGEA work has seen iMega challenging the government restriction of some 141 Kentucky-based gambling domains. The protest group sent an appeal to the US Court of Appeals last Thursday regarding this issue after their previous brief was thrown out by the US District Court in Trenton.

Although the foundation behind iMega’s work seeks to use its home nation’s constitution as a constant, underlying basis, headway has been pretty much nonexistent. The group has fought tirelessly against UIGEA legislature since 2006 saw the majority of online gambling sites restricted, forcing internet gamers to retreat from their then illegal pastime. Only time will tell how well iMega is able to do in their current attempt to appeal against the Kentucky domain seizures but global observers remain hopeful that they may be able to open up the American gambling trade in time.

PartyCasino Renovates Site with Live Dealers and More

Premier online gaming site, PartyCasino has released new information regarding the imminent redesign and additional features planned for implementation onto their service. Through a partnership with noted software developer, EvolutionGaming, PartyCasino is set to attract a lot of attention with their fun and innovative new ideas and software.

Among the changes being readied for the PartyCasino platform, perhaps most exciting is the announcement of live dealer options at the majority of table games. Roulette, blackjack and baccarat are all planned to receive updates from this aspect of the revamp. Players will now be able to see cards shuffled, wheels spun and much more when EvolutionGaming finishes work on these games. The company is hoping that a concentration on live gaming aspects will delight old fans while drawing new gamblers at the same time. Being able to call bets in real time or simply watching virtual dealers move a game along should entice a lot of online casino devotees looking for a more colourful experience than what is currently being offered by larger gambling networks.

Jim Ryan, chief executive of PartyGaming (PartyCasino’s owner) told press that the site would still concentrate on increasing the number of movie-themed slot games along with other old favourites from the client but that the live dealer changes would be the most striking difference for PartyCasino visitors. The redesign is set to go live in a short while so those interested in these features should check out the casino’s updates soon.