On the E-Commerce Front -- Today's PayPal is apparently all about distancing itself from vices, unless of course its new parent company, eBay, is the benefactor. The I-gaming business knows all too well that the third-party Internet transaction processor no longer handles any payments having to do with gambling. Recently their attention has turned to the sex sites, but a recent decision to refuse processing for adult-oriented auctions has landed them in hot water. A subsidiary of Rick's Cabaret, which runs NaughtyBids.com, filed an anti-trust suit against eBay because PayPal continued to handle transactions for eBay's "Mature Audiences" section, despite denying business with all other adult auctions. The suit was withdrawn April 22 after eBay removed the exemption.
Tidbit from Bermuda -- Bermuda's Ministry of Tourism, Telecommunications and E-Commerce is intent on making the Atlantic island a key hub for offshore e-commerce businesses, but don't expect that to open up any doors for Internet gambling. Plans for Bermuda's "E Government Portal" call for the aggressive development and promotion of e-business based on the island, however, those plans, at this point do not include the welcoming of I-gaming operations. "The days of offshore e-business jurisdictions just concentrating on having great server farms full of pornography and gambling sites has ended," said Nigel Hickson, a consultant to the ministry, as quoted in the Bermuda Sun. "The successful offshore jurisdiction of the future is one that is going to based on international business, and e-business is going to be part of that overall development, but it's not going to be the main element. It is an enabler for all parts of the economy."