One of the great things about the online gambling industry is that there’s never a dull moment.
Every month we see new twists and turns in old stories, like the Black Friday saga; as well as new story lines such as the rapidly growing blacklisted domain list in Bulgaria.
Here’s a few of the online gambling headlines from last month every affiliate should have on their radar.
Bulgaria Expands Blacklisted Domain List
Say what you will about the Bulgarian State Gambling Commission (BSGC) but they’re definitely not afraid of the big boys. Last month they added a number of big name operators to their blacklisted domain list including Ladbrokes and Bet365.
It’s a sign that they’re serious about getting operators on board with the new Bulgarian licensing plan; and it appears to be working. The BSGC reports a big uptick in license applications.
PokerStars Still Courting US Market
PokerStars wants a piece of the US igaming market so badly that they’re willing to buy the failing Atlantic Club Casino in Atlantic City to do so. That kind of commitment might normally be rewarded but PokerStars just doesn’t have a lot of friends in the upper levels of the US gambling industry.
Last month the company’s lawyers appealed a Jersey court order killing the Atlantic Club deal and have burrowed themselves into the legal minutae. The only safe prediction here is that the lawyers will make plenty money as this fight continues.
Fortunately PokerStars (and parent company Rationale Group) have some pretty deep pockets. Company CEO Mark Scheinberg just settled longstanding legal problems with the US Department of Justice for $50 million.
In short, PokerStars is willing to pay just about any price to land on American shores.
Other Headlines
- Bet365 reported mega-profits for the first half of the year. Much of that success was built on their rapidly expanding mobile operations.
- Ongame shut down their Spanish operations and turned in their Spanish gambling license. It’s yet another sign that the much hyped .es market has failed to deliver for operators.
- Macho Sports, a massive and illegal US-facing online sports betting operation. The site used a network of runners and bookies (as well as plain old thugs) to keep things running smoothly.
- Any casino affiliates who are considering playing fast and loose with the rules of the game should consider the story of Shawn Hogan and Brian Dunning. These two (former) eBay super affiliates are staring at a 20-year prison sentence for a cookie stuffing scheme. The lesson here, keep wearing that white hat.
What kind of impact did these stories have on your business? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.