Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Survey of UK consumers finds broad public support and little opposition to
government plans to license and regulate online gambling as part of new
Casino Act.
Results show consumers find licensing and regulation of gambling sites are
key in inspiring consumer confidence and trust. 22nd January 2007 -
Controversial government plans to license and regulate online gambling have
strong public support according to a new survey conducted by PKR.com and
YouGov. Even amongst non-gamblers, support for the licensing and regulation
of online gambling was high, with over 50% agreeing with government plans.
Only 14% of non-gambling respondents disagreed. The survey also highlighted
that licensing and regulation plays a major role in consumer decisions about
which online gaming sites they play. Nearly two thirds of those polled (63%)
believe that it is important for an internet gambling site to have a
licence, with only 5% seeing licensing as "not important at all". What's
more, the PKR.com/YouGov poll revealed a strong preference among respondents
for those licences to be issued under British Government regulations. 70%
said they would trust a poker room or casino that is licensed and regulated
in the UK. PKR.com's Chief Executive Officer, Malcolm Graham said, "We've
always known that trust is a major factor when it comes to consumer
decisions about where to gamble online - which is why we would welcome the
introduction of a UK based licensing regime in order to extend an even
greater level of protection to consumers and help them avoid unscrupulous
operators." Graham goes on to add, "I am sure that if the Gambling
Commission adopts a regulatory framework similar to the one that exists in
Alderney, they will attract many license applications."

The Poker UK 2007 report also identifies how poker is increasingly being
seen as an entertainment activity, rather than being viewed as gambling, and
also provides a snapshot showing how new next-generation poker products are
re-invigorating the market.

PKR is a revolutionary new concept in online poker that aims to change both
the way that online poker is played and perceived.

Featuring stunning real-time 3D graphics and a uniquely engaging and
immersive gaming system, PKR brings an unparalleled and previously unseen
level of realism to online poker.

Developed by some of the brightest stars in the video games and poker
industries, PKR was founded in 2005 by President Jez San, one of Europe's
most respected technology entrepreneurs and the first person to ever be
awarded an O.B.E for services to the computer games industry.

PKR's Gaming Licence

PKR is licensed by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC), one of
the stringent gaming jurisdictions in the world.

The successful receipt of an Alderney gaming license requires the operator
to:

submit to independent testing of both gaming software and hardware

ensure that players are over the minimum age required to gamble (18)

provide tools and services to prevent irresponsible or problem gambling

'ring-fence' all money in player's accounts (both winnings and deposits) in
a separate account.