Denmark Mulls Minimum Gambling Age -- The Danish Gaming Service is considering introducing a ban on betting shop access for children under 16. Many MPs say they support the idea, but the Center for Gambling Mania thinks the age limit should be 18 instead of 16.
A New Player -- Video game specialist Codemasters said it will move into the online gaming space with the launch of a mass-market games portal next month. The site, Funsta.com, will offer more than 1,000 free and pay-to-play games, including quizzes, classic games and skill-based games. Funsta is the first development from Codemasters' online games division, which was formed this year. Codemasters, whose titles include "Brian Lara's International Cricket 2005" and "Colin McRae Rally," will also use the portal as a route into online gambling, offering bingo and casino-based games in coming months.
New Sites -- Launching a poker site is nothing new to the online gaming industry, but launching a poker site offering frequent customers a share of ownership in the venture is a unique proposition. PokerShare.com, which opened for business this week, promises to give its gamblers ownership positions that pay quarterly dividends and conventional shares if a public offering takes place. The company will also offer an array of perks (points toward cash rebates, trips, merchandise, etc.) comparable to the loyalty incentives popular with online and off-line competitors. Forty percent of the company is owned by a Gibraltar-based trust, with the other 60 percent held by its partners and principals. Gamblers earn "share points" linked to the length of time they play and the number of pots they contribute to as well as from tournament entry fees. The points are held by the trust, which then distributes dividends each quarter based on the company's overall profit. . . . Operators of a new site launched this week are hoping to make inroads in the online blackjack community. The site, Casino24Hrs.com, offers multiplayer blackjack as well as slots and traditional casino-style gaming. It features both low-stakes and high-stakes games.
Back on the eBay Saddle --
One day after news that GoldenPalace.com was the victim of a "sniper trap" on eBay in its successful effort to purchase an M&M wrapper (not to be confused with the rapper Eminem), the online casino was the winning bidder for a pierogi with the face of Jesus. The seller, Donna Lee, said Jesus' face appeared when she was cooking the Polish dumplings for Easter dinner in her home in Point Place. She's kept it in her freezer ever since. The pierogi cost Golden Palace $1,775.