Only a few short months after Playboy announced its new partnership with Cryptologic Inc for their future online casino, Playboy has now been confirmed to be working with Cryptologic on their poker software as well. The Playboy online poker room will target customers worldwide with the exception of the United States.

Playboy plans on using its flagship brand and promotions to lure potential poker players in. With the poker boom still at it’s peak, and an industry which seems to becoming sexier and sexier each day, Playboy Poker is sure to be a hit with many internet poker players.

Christie Hefner, Playboy’s Chairman and CEO said, “In CryptoLogic, Playboy has found an innovative and proven partner who can help us capitalize on the growth and excitement of online poker. With CryptoLogic’s technical and industry strength and Playboy’s global brand reach, our goal is to deliver an exceptional Playboy-gaming destination for online players.”

These feelings seem to be mutual between Playboy and Cryptologic, with a potential BOMB coming to the poker industry and maybe, just maybe, some well needed competition for the likes of partypoker.com, pokerstars.com and pokerroom.com.

A week after the arrest of the CEO of betonsports.com, executives at one of the largest online sportsbook for US customers are still trying to decide what the arrest will mean for the online gambling industry moving forward.

Sportsbook.com, one of the most well known internet sportsbooks around generated over 2 billion in sports wagers and over 5 billion in casino wagers last year alone. A huge chunk of sportsbook.com’s customers are use based and those same players seem to be quite nervous with recent events.

Last Sunday, David Carruthers, CEO of Betonsports.com was arrested in Texas while en route to Costa Rica to his companies head office. Carruthers was charged with rackateering and fraud along with a host of other charges. His company’s founder, two sons and media director were also arrested. On Monday, a 22-count indictment was brought forth to betonsports.com that charges Carruthers, 10 others and 4 related companies for taking bets to US residents as violation to the 1964 Wire Act which forbids these same actions.

The recent news of the arrest has sent shockwaves through the online gambling industry and their stocks, plunging to all time lows. The arrest also resulted in Betonsports being suspended on the London Stock Exchange and hasn’t come back to trading since the delisting on July 18, 2006.

Internet Gambling is a $12 billion per year industry worldwide, and growing. This business is technically illegal although not enforced in the United States. Congress has tried for years to pass a bill on banning online gambling but has failed to succeed. Last week, the US House of Representatives passed the bill to be voted upon in Congress in the fall, 317-93.

More recently, bodog.com has been forced to postpone their annual Bodog Conference in Las Vegas for fears of the authorities being on the watch. Calvin Ayre, CEO and founder of Bodog.com and also featured on Forbes.com was quoted saying; “Everybody, at least in the sports betting world, is definitely on notice that the U.S. is being extremely aggressive,” said Sue Schneider, chief executive of St. Louis-based River City Group, which publishes a daily interactive trade magazine. “It’s certainly going to keep people from coming to the U.S.”

One thing is for sure, the sportsbook world better be careful and the casino & poker industries might soon be next.

Many individuals affiliated with the online gambling site BetonSports PLC, which owns several internet casinos and sportsbooks have been indicted in a Missouri courtroom. The founder Stephen Kaplan, and CEO David Carruthers have been charged with conspiracy, racketeering, and fraud.

Along with BetonSports.com, there were also three Florida-based companies: Direct Mail Expertise, DME Global Marketing and Fulfillment Inc. Four of the owners and operators associated with these firms have been indicted as well.

David Carruthers is a prominent advocate of online gambling, and he fears that the escalation of the anti-lobby will trouble markets.
Once Carruthers arrest began to circulate on the Internet this morning, shares of the publicly traded BetonSports dove almost 17 percent on the London Stock Exchange.

The Sunday Times has addressed the anxiety and fears for this may be the beginning of the end for all online gambling & online casinos by U.S law enforcement. Greg Harris, an analyst at Cannacord said: ‘It’s too early to say if this is part of a broader strategy on prevention of internet gambling in the U.S, or if it is the Department of Justice simply flexing their muscles and trying to influence legislation.’

U.S Attorney Catherine Hanaway of the Eastern District of Missouri in a press release states: ‘This indictment is but one step in a series of actions designed to punish and seize the profits of individuals who disregard federal and state laws.’

The U.S Congress has voted in favour of a bill to place a ban on different forms of Internet gambling. Credit cards, banks, and all other credit organizations will no longer be able to make payments to Internet gambling websites. Internet service providers as well as law enforcement are working together to block user access to these sites. It is primarily the job of the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department that will be keeping an eye to make sure that companies are not allowing these payments.

The bill has the support from both the Republicans and the Democrats, but it is still controversial and will head to the Senate. The legislation supporters believe that access to gambling comes far too easy online, and this can lead to financial problems and gambling addictions. Critics believe that regulating online gambling, and collecting taxes on it would be beneficial. Bobby Scott who represents Virginia brought up the issue of credit card companies knowing when a company is a gambling site, since these sites use other names to avoid detection.

With so many issues and controversy, the impact of the bill will be unknown.

Well, World Cup 2006 in Germany has come and gone, and what a great spectacle of sport, integrity and football was on display this past month! Set in various cities across Germany, the world was treated to some of the most exciting football in the last four years, with Italy coming out on top after a shootout win against France in the final on Sunday.

Germany, the host and favorite amongst the locals put in a valiant effort, falling just short of the final match, but beating Portugal 3-1 in the 3rd place match up this past Saturday afternoon. Germany showed they are a football force to reckon with, showcasing the talents of future Chelsea star Michael Ballack. Germany ended up making their country proud, as an underdog, finished 3rd ahead of the likes of England, Brazil and Portugal!

In the finals, it was the match of the century, with Italy vs France. What can I say, the match started out with a terrible call, which almost cost the Italian side the World Cup, resulting in France’s first goal via a penalty shot from Zidane. From there, Italy went on the attack, equalizing halfway through the second half to tie the match at 1-1. Thanks to the terrific goalkeeping by Italian net minder Buffon, the Italians staved off many attempts by the French side and ended up victorious through a 5-3 win in the shootout. I can’t say enough times how good Buffon played and how much of an impact he had on Italy winning the World Cup 2006.

For all those gamblers out there, the World Cup offered another means of online betting for the last month. With the focus taken away from the various online casino and poker rooms, with the World Cup now complete, the main focus can now be shifted to the WSOP 2006, being held in Las Vegas as we speak with the main event, Texas Holdem No Limit tournament to begin at months end.

This year boasts one of the largest fields in WSOP history, with the main event attracting upwards of 8,000 entrants and a first prize amounting to a staggering $10,000,000! We will be keeping a close eye and coverage of the WSOP and will update the blog weekly with winners, news and other information pertaining to this HUGE poker even in Las Vegas.

Where to start with the England vs Portugal Match, which for me was the match of the day with personal interests in UK Football!

England looked poised to beat Portugal, a talented, yet under-maned and underpowered to that of the mighty English Football Club. WIth the likes of Lampard, Beckham, Rooney and Cole, anything but a date in the finals is an absolute failure.

Through 45 minutes, England looked good, having multiple opportunities, coming close a few times. Then disaster stroke, with Wayne Rooney recieving a red card for stamping on Carvalho. Rooney denys any intentional aim at huring Carvalho and was shocked when he recieved the red card and sent off the field.

Through another 45 minutes, England defended incredibly, not allowing a goal through regulation and Extra Time. The dreaded penalty shots once again going to be required for an English victory. In the end, Lampard, Gerrard and company could not convert their penalty shots and Portugal won 3-1.

It was tough watching England battle a man down for almost an hour. England almost completed an incredible performance. Instead, this years world cup will go down as a failure!

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