ECOGRA LAUNCHES 100 SEALS CAMPAIGN
Target of 100 "Play It Safe" seals by end of 2006 can be achieved
NEW YORK, MAY 9, 2006 -Hard on the heels of its announcement of 7 new poker room certifications for the "Play It Safe" seal, eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) today unveiled a new campaign to increase the number of online casinos and poker rooms committed to player-safe gaming.
Dubbed the "100 Seals Campaign," the goal is to maintain high standards while boosting the number of certified top-tier venues entitled to display eCOGRA's "Play It Safe" seal from 76 to 100 by December 2006.
The campaign is expected to reach additional audiences at the eighth annual Global Interactive Gaming Summit & Expo (GIGSE) 2006 in Montreal, Canada. On May 17th at 2.30pm eCOGRA Chairman Michael Hirst will host a panel entitled, 'Self-Regulation: Best Practices to Play It Safe.' Panellists will include industry luminaries such as Roy Cooke, Card Player Magazine, well-known players' advocate Ted Loh, and Andrew Beveridge (CEO eCOGRA). All GIGSE attendees and media are welcome to participate.
"'Play It Safe' online casinos and poker rooms already handle a substantial percentage of the total global online gaming business,” said eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge. “We intend to extend the player protection that is built into our international standards by bringing more top-tier online gaming software providers and licensees on board before the year's end."
Right now, more than a dozen casino and poker sites are undergoing eCOGRA's third-party inspection and monitoring process. The “Play It Safe” seal helps to attract and retain players, and tells the world that these sites place players' needs-- trust, honesty and fair gaming, above all else.
Participants in the 100 Seal Campaign receive:
* Cutting edge, player-sensitive standards, together with independent inspection, monitoring, enforcement and infrastructure that is applicable worldwide.
* An independent, London-based “Fair Gaming Advocate” who helps resolve player disputes in just 48-72 hours on average.
* Professional training, services and marketing support to meet best international business practices and responsible gaming standards.
* Expertly designed measures and guidelines to curb underage and problem gambling, backed by personnel training courses.
* One-step-ahead standards to meet future challenges in poker and mobile gaming.
Beveridge extends an invitation to online gambling software providers and their licensees: "If you're ready to meet the 21st century challenges facing the industry, we'd like to invite you to join the 100 Seals Campaign and become one of the most respected 100 online gaming sites in the world."
About eCOGRA
eCOGRA, the independent standards authority for the online gaming industry, is committed to protecting online casino and poker players around the world. The non-profit organization addresses the most important issues to players: fast payouts, fair gaming, responsive and efficient service and responsible operator conduct.
eCOGRA provides an international framework of best operational and player practice requirements enforced through inspections, reviews, and continuous monitoring by independent global audit companies. To date, 76 sites comply with these requirements and have been awarded the coveted “Play It Safe” Seal that identifies to players the safest online gaming sites on the Web. For more information on how eCOGRA is constantly improving standards in online gaming for players everywhere, go to
www.ecogra.org
For all media queries or to arrange a briefing, please contact:
Stuart Hehir
Chameleon
PR
stuart@chameleonpr.com
Susan Linder
Lotus Public Relations
Susan.linder@lotus-pr.com