In Turkey -- Turkey's Anatolia news agency reports that committees composed of various Turkish ministries, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, universities, Internet service providers and other nongovernmental organizations are considering plans to combat online gambling. Lawmakers have supplemented a bill designed to reorganize the structure of the Turkish National Lottery Administration (MPI) with clauses that would ban advertising for online gambling sites and give the MPI power to block access to Internet-based gaming and betting sites. The committees are also considering legislation that would allow authorities to track down online gamblers through credit card transactions, although banks argue that such a policy would not be legal. Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Revenues is preparing a bill that seems to conflict with the measures mentioned above in that it would add a lottery tax to any transactions associated with online gambling.
Pagcor's Deals -- In the Philippines, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, son of former President Joseph Estrada, has alleged that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) has been involved in illegal 60-40 joint venture operations of slot machine arcades. According to Estrada, Pagcor has been vested with the sole and exclusive power to undertake gambling activities in the Philippines, meaning that it alone may own, manage and operate casinos and slot machines. He claims, however, that Pagcor's joint venture profit sharing agreements have funneled close to $37 million to private companies at a time when the government is "crying for financial deficit and imposing new and back-breaking taxes on the people." Estrada also stated that the slot machines deals are only the tip of the iceberg, adding, "There are many more anomalies to be discovered and uncovered in Pagcor."
Mobile Skills -- CYOP Systems International Inc, a developer and licensor of online skill games, has begun negotiations with mobile developers so that it may launch a mobile version of its CrediPlay application.
FuturesBetting -- FuturesBetting.com, a new Gibraltar-based spread betting service for experienced futures traders has launched its Web site using GL Trade's Ubix bureau service. The service will enable FuturesBetting's customers to access the four key futures markets-LIFFE, Eurex, CME and CBOT.
North Dakota -- Several representatives from the online gambling industry testified today before the North Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee in support of House Bill 1509, a bill that would establish a licensing and regulation regime for Internet poker in the state. Testifying witnesses included River City Group CEO Sue Schneider, attorney Patrick O'Brien of law firm Greenberg Traurig, Sportingbet CEO Nigel Payne, attorney Frank Catania of Catania Consulting, Casino City President Michael Corfman, and CPA Peter Friedman. Opponents, meanwhile, argued that gambling is an immoral activity that causes social harm and pointed out that the U.S. Justice Department believes Internet gambling is illegal.
Jockey Arrested -- City of London police today arrested jockey Gyles Parkin as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged race fixing. Parkin is the sixth jockey and 27th person overall to be arrested since the initial wave of arrests that detained 16 individuals in September.
Quoteworthy -- "As a player, you could portray the facade of being a young, attractive novice female player when in fact you are a very experienced recognized pro. On a psychological level, the key to a 'hustle' or manipulating other players in an online poker is by projecting a character and hiding your identity. For instance, if you are playing with novices, it may be profitable to portray an experienced professional in order to intimidate players into submission."
- Kevin Harmon, a reader of the Irish Independent who wrote a letter to the editor in response to an article he read about online poker. Harmon was interested in the psychological differences between online and offline poker.
Report -- British investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein has completed a report estimating that online gambling has grown into a $9.2 billion global industry and is expected to generate a 22 percent annual growth rate between 2003 and 2008. The bank says that that 45 percent of total online gambling spending is attributed to sports betting, while another 32 percent is attributed to other gaming. The bank notes that poker, which comprises the remaining 23 percent, could surpass both by 2008.