CAP Certification -- CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com (CAP) announced today that they are suspending the certification of PartyPartners, a.k.a. Party Gaming plc, the proprietor behind online poker site Party Poker due to what CAP editor Louis Fabianocalled a "predatory act." Party Gaming's recent $250 million acquisition of Empire Poker brought to an end its affiliate program, which means affiliates who had participated in the Empire Online affiliate program will receive no compensation for the thousands of players they acquired for EmpirePoker.com. Fabiano said in a statement today, "CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com is left with no alternative but to suspend their certification at CAP and advise all affiliates to cease promotion of all PartyGaming clients until a satisfactory resolution to this problem can be worked out."
Paddy News -- The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland has upheld two complaints against a radio ad for online gambling site PaddyPowerpoker.com, which features a grandmother teaching her grandson how to play strip poker. In the commercial, after the boy wins the first hand the grandmother says, "So that means that I have to take my top off?" followed by the sound of a zipper unfastening. Before the grandson wins the next hand with a pair of aces, the grandmother says, "Might as well whip the bra off now--you're never going to beat a pair like that."…In slightly less controversial Paddy Power news, rumors that they were about to be approached by Greek lottery and football pools company OPAP, were quickly quashed today when George Papiggelis of Ignatia Finance in Athens said OPAP would not consider buying another betting company in Europe. "Despite the fact that OPAP is branching out into new business areas," Papiggelis said. "Any European acquisition would jeopardize the company's monopoly rights in the Greek market." Nonetheless, shares jumped by nearly 3% as a result of the rumor.
Campaign Problem -- The son of Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Jim Pederson, who plans to vie for the Senatorial seat currently occupied by I-gaming foe Jon Kyl, was arrested Friday night after a narcotics investigation. James Robert Pederson, 24, was taken into custody after a search of his home and booked on charges of possession of narcotics, prescription-only narcotics, and marijuana. Some of the drugs were allegedly sent across state lines, and weapons were found. Pederson was released on his own recognizance the following day.