Charters Released to Promote French Online Gambling
June 19, 2009
In light of recent announcements that the French government will regulate online gambling to a limited extent in 2010, online media group “Geste”, has released two charters calling for responsible gaming practices to be implemented throughout the industry. Based on results of a study conducted earlier this year, the charters are designed to provide European online gambling operators with an accepted standard to follow, thereby ensuring that the online gambling industry in France is viewed as a socially responsible and legitimate industry in the years to come.
Analysts and regulators will be keeping a close eye on the industry to determine its compliance with regulations and its efficiency in preventing problem and underage gambling.
No country knows that these issues do come up with regulation better than the UK, which passed the UK Gambling Act of 2005 and has since seen an increase in problem gambling and gambling debt. However, studies have shown that this wasn’t because of the internet but rather because the Act also called for an increase in land-based betting destinations, which have proven to be the culprit for gambling related negative impacts since 2005. Overall, the UK has faired well in spite of these setbacks, and has made swift progress in identifying and providing treatment for problem gamblers.
France however, will only open up the online sector of the industry and with this a more accurate determinant on the effects of regulated online wagering will be established.
While many are still opposed to regulations of the online gambling industry in France, many others like Geste, are being proactive in operating standards and measures which ensure that the online sector remains a favourable environment for both consumers and businesses to operate in.
So it would seem that if online casino operators and internet sports betting empires are looking to expand successfully into the French market, they would be prudent to adopt and implement best practice charters similar to those suggested by Geste.
Leonardo DiCaprio to Star in Online Casino Film
June 19, 2009
While complete details including the title are still a closely guarded secret, according to Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, Leonardo DiCaprio is set to star in an upcoming Paramount film based on the world of online casinos run out of Costa Rica.
The screenplay is written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the authors of the box office hit ”Ocean’s Thirteen,” and cult film ”Rounders,” which in a similar vein, starred Edward Norton and Matt Damon as high-stakes players in the underground poker scene.
DiCaprio will also have a hand in the production of the film with his company Apian Way employing the expertise of Jennifer Davisson Killoran as producer.
It is yet to be seen which brush this team will choose to paint the online casino industry with, but one thing is for sure, it will be interesting to see nonetheless.
BetStopper - blocking underage gamblers
June 5, 2009
There is much concern over minors attempting to gamble at online casinos, and while the casinos have stringent measures in place to prevent this, including Identity checks and verifications, The Nova Scotia Gambling Corporation has taken it one step further and designed content blocking software which may aid parents and caregivers in preventing children from accessing gambling related sites in the first place.
The new program, BetStopper can be installed on home computers to prevent children from accessing gambling related websites and casinos, giving them peace of mind when their children are online.
The software has been stringently tested in order to ensure the effectiveness of the program, however as with similar programs of this nature, it cannot be expected to be 100% effective all of the time and parents and caregivers will still need to monitor their children’s online activities.
A number of Online Casinos from across the globe have supported the launch of this program which is set to go a long way to eliminating problem gambling in future generations.
