Trust US, say 888.com

Online gambling group 888.com has taken further steps to enhance the safety and security of its players by being granted the independent TRUSTe seal, the company announced this week.

A company spokesman said that 888 prides itself on responsible gaming practices and strives to maintain the highest standards of safety, security and confidentiality of its players.

"This additional check-mark has been welcomed by the company," 888.com's Senior Vice President Regions, Itai Paznersaid. "At 888.com we believe that entertainment and safety come hand in hand. Our players' welfare has always, and always will, come first."

TRUSTe specialises in online privacy services. Sites certified by TRUSTe provide players with greater confidence in the security and privacy of their personal information as they go about their business.

The TRUSTe website lists the following requirements before a seal will be granted:

User controls that include

User ability to opt-out of having their personally identifiable information (PII) shared with outside parties for advertising purposes
An unsubscribe function in market­ing­/pr­omo­tional emails and newsletters
A mechanism for users to correct and/or update stored PII or request to have it updated by the TRUSTe Sealholder

Web site security in the form of Secured Socket Layers (SSLs) or other comparable technology that encrypts pages on which sensitive information such as credit card numbers is collected

A complaint-resolution process that requires TRUSTe Sealholders to:

Have procedures in place for receiving and handling privacy related complaints
Show information on how to contact TRUSTe's Watchdog for third-party dispute resolution
Participate in resolving complaints filed through TRUSTe's Watchdog Dispute Resolution program, including making changes to processes and privacy practices to prevent future complaints

A privacy statement that discloses

What type of PII is collected and how it will be used
The identity of the party collecting the PII
Whether the PII is shared with third parties
The use of any user-tracking technology
Whether the PII is supplemented with information from other sources
Choice options available to users and how to exercise them
How consumers can access PII they have provided to correct and update it
That there are security measures in place
How users will be notified of any material changes in the Sealholder's privacy practice
Accurate contact information for the Sealholder including both email and physical mailing address where users can submit a privacy-related complaint

The privacy statement must also

Represent the Sealholder's privacy practices clearly and accurately
Be visible and acto maintain online trust among consumers acessible from the home page and every page collecting PII
Display the TRUSTe "Click to Verify" seal and link to a TRUSTe hosted validation page so users can verify that the site holds a valid TRUSTe seal

Once certified, TRUSTe Sealholders are required to

Undergo regular compliance monitoring by TRUSTe
Participate in TRUSTe's Watchdog Dispute Resolution process, including cooperating with investigations regarding non-frivolous complaints
Get annual TRUSTe recertification to maintain online trust among consumers

Swedish provider releases casino 1.9 games

Swedish gaming solutions developer Play'n Go has released the latest version of its instant-play online casino software, Casino 1.9, which features three new slot games alongside four unique mini titles.

To appeal to a wide variety of different nationalities, Casino 1.9 is available in eleven languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Swedish, Hungarian, Latvian and Portuguese.

The trio of new slot games includes Cats And Cash, which is a five-reel 15-payline title featuring feline characters that are more interested in catching cash, jewelry and gold bars than mice. A wild cat helps players comprise winning combinations worth double the prize while competitors can earn the chance to participate in two gameshow-style bonus rounds.

The second new title, Fortune Teller, is a five-reel 20-payline slot where players can win free spins by gazing into a crystal ball that has gone wild. There is also a bonus round offering tarot cards that are read to determine the prize.

The final new title is Photo Safari, which is a five-reel 20-payline slot that allows players to frolic among friendly and photogenic animals. When the drums beat, players can win free spins before using a bonus symbol to comprise winning combinations for extra cash.

"For the sake of our clients, we aim to keep online casino players entertained with a steady supply of colourful new games thanks to our creative development team," said Johan Tornqvist, Chief Executive Officer for Play'n Go.

The four new instant-play mini games released as part of Casino 1.9 can be enjoyed within other applications and comprise Bell Of Fortune, Gift Shop, Golden Goal and Speed Cash. These three-reel slots offer players the chance to win a portion of a shared progressive jackpot and are available in standard casino versions as well as mini 160 by 120 and 160 by 224 formats.

Washington state considering Keno

The PoliticsFriday column in the Seattle Weekly, commenting on moves to raise up to $30 million in tax reveues by allowing four minute keno to be enjoyed in the state, highlights the apparent moral ambivalence of state politicians on the issue.

Washington state is notorious for draconian anti-online gambling laws that place players in the felony C (serious crime) category, although a wide and growing range of land gambling activities are permitted and even encouraged by the state legislators.

Columnist Caleb Hannan points out that state Senator Margarita Prentice only hates certain kinds of gambling, and reports that she is an 'unlikely ally' of governor Chris Gregoire, who is considering how four minute keno might be allowed in order to raise taxes to close a $2.6 billion state budget deficit.

"State Sen. Margarita Prentice is no one's idea of a friend to Washington gamblers," Hannan writes. "In 2006, she sponsored legislation that made online poker a felony in line with possessing kiddie porn or torturing an animal. A bill seen largely as Prentice's attempt to help Indian gaming interests that heavily contributed to her re-election campaigns.

"So why is Prentice considering sponsoring the Keno legislation? Maybe it's that climbing out of a budget hole on the backs of gamblers is more politically palatable than taxes."

A BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS

Interesting snippet from a recent Wall Street Journal article is an estimate by gambling industry consulting firm H2 Gambling Capital that Internet gambling revenue for offshore companies was estimated to be $5.9 billion in 2008 from players in the U.S. and $21 billion from players worldwide.

July a bumper month for new Online Games

July has seen a feast of new games for online gamblers, increasing the depth of choice across several Internet gambling provider platforms.

Playtech Casinos introduced over a hundred Flash technology, no download games at Dafa888.com in its software upgrade, whilst World Winner.com introduced a new casual skill game title branded Bejeweled Twist from Seattle-based PopCap Games. In this new twist on the top-selling puzzle franchise, players must rotate blocks of gems against the clock in order to create rows of three or more matching jewels and build high scores to win cash and prizes. The company has also licensed the game Jeopardy for conversion to an online skill game.

Microgaming Casinos launched its now customary monthly four game release, which included Fortune Finder, Sterling Silver, Pedal Power and Summer Holiday themed slots, and new online casino client Expekt.com went live with a massive and diverse gaming suit from the veteran software developer.

The 32Red online gambling group teamed up with RM Royal Media to offer a range of rummy games online, and the Rival gambling software company launched its new i-slot Bust a Vault at licensee operations.

Realtime Gaming launched four new games in its Real Series of video slots, notably Mystic Dragon, Sea Captain, London Inspector and Loose Caboose, and NeoGames introduced a scratchcard game based on dominos.

Betsoft geared up to supply 8 3D slots to Nordic facing online casino Mr. Green.com, an online casino launched last year by two of the Betsson founding partners, and the Bodog88-Haydock Sports team of Asian facing establishments started providing live dealer action from Enterasia.

Online gambling software developer CTXM, which provides games to many of the major companies in the industry, released two new casual slots for the popular iPhone. Both slots are derived from proved casino slots already published by CTXM through its partners - FreakyFruits and Totem Quest.

Cyberarts premiered new online bingo at the recent Bingo Summit, and Unibet and Microgaming got Maria Poker - a female demographic targeted site using Flash software - underway.

Online gambling games provider and distributor WagerWorks announced the release of online ports of Barcrest Group's leading UK branded game titles Rainbow Riches, Ca$hino and Elvis Top 20 - arguably Britain's best known land-based slot titles with a significant presence through bingo halls, motorway service areas, adult gaming centres and betting shops. These games have recently been integrated onto the Orbis Openbet platform.

Virtue Fusion Alderney, launched three new networked progressive jackpot scratch cards with summer beach and topical themes. The company has continued to grow its network with quality games and licensees, the latest being the Danish bingo site Krone Bingo.dk, whilst the online bingo operation of one of the UK's major gambling groups, Gala Bingo, has announced the July launch of a series of new side games, adding variety to the gaming offering to players.

Jackpot City launched a mobile offering powered by Spin3 and featuring the growing range of mobile games from Microgaming, and the new partnership of NetplayTV and Playtech will ensure that players on licensees to both companies - among them the latest licensee Stanleybet International - have an expanded range of conventional online games, live over the Internet and interactive TV offerings and mobile games.

The massive online poker operator Full Tilt Poker's latest software upgrade includes a Hand Replayer and Mixed Limit games, and appropriately comes on the eve of its fifth birthday.

Smart Live Casino.com, which is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and offers live dealer gambling over the Internet and interactive television via SkyTV, added baccarat to its gaming suite.

Backgammon online is coming into its own with Jadestone signing up the World Series of Backgammon to its new online network dedicated to the resurgent ancient game this month.

August is already shaping up as set to continue the trend, with Net Entertainment believed to be close to launching new games on its online casino for Paf, and Cryptologic advising that it has orders from 888.com for a further 5 games. Cryptologic has also announced a deal to provide Victor Chandler group with a range of 10 games.

For UK football fans, The Sun newspaper's fantasy football project Dream Team will be supported by the William Hill betting group next season, widening the scope of this major multi-platform initiative that embraces digital, mobile and print gaming.

Parlay Entertainment is reported to be almost done working on a white label bingo and casino site for the UK television group "Five", and there have been reports that Gibraltar-based online group 888.com has plans to redesign its online casino operations around a 3D model in the near future with some very interesting innovations. Early in July the company introduced side games like Oddly Enough, which allow players to wager on whether a game of virtual bingo will have more odd or even numbers and similar side bets.