Wednesday, January 17, 2007

In light of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), as one
would expect, the online gambling industry has indeed shifted its focus to
non-US countries. In addition, the UK has taken steps to make it more
complex to use its services illegitimately. Meanwhile, although it may not
be quite as harsh as the UIGEA, Turkey has begun to issue new restrictions
on its own online gambling sites. Apparently, the UK and Spain seek to
advance their online gambling enterprises. In extension of their
developmental plans, the UK based Bookmaker Ladbrokes has made a joint
venture with the Spanish Corporation Cirsca Slot, as both parties have the
mutual goal of generating a sports betting business for the Spanish market.
Furthermore, Betbull, a UK-based chief European bookmaker that seeks to
secure a prominent role in Italy's betting has recently received four
Italian betting licenses for Como and Milano. Evidently, the goal of
gambling enterprises in the UK is not only to expand, but to do so in a
manner that complicates the illegitimate use of their services. Betbbrokers
proclaimed an arrangement between themselves and GB Group, an identity
management specialist to use their identity verification service. This
web-based electronic service, URU, is the UK's new method of verifying the
identification of new clientele in order to intercept potential cases of
identity fraud, money laundering and underage gambling.
Contrastingly, a Turkish newspaper relates the new binding regulations that
Turkey has placed on online gambling sites and the punishments that will
befall perpetrators.