Carib Sunshine Casino

[jetset]

The software provider is inextricably linked to the system here - they get royalties in many cases, but more importantly there has to be some accountability for the probity checks on their licensees and their policing responsibilities in a risky arena that is not formally regulated.

Software providers have the wherewithal to impose good practice where this is lacking, and it is in their interests to do so, because the modern player communicates with others of his or her kind far more effectively through responsible message boards and are thus capable of avoiding casinos that have no interest in their welfare and gambling safety.

The big guns have shown the way by putting in place mechanisms to safeguard players in the event of casino failure and the new eCOGRA will I believe be proposing to members that they join this sort of initiative.

That will put pressure on the more irresponsible elements in the industry who try to take the none of our concern approach, because if eCOGRA takes off in an already tightening market, its seal will be a valuable guide to players that the operation displaying it is cognisant of the need for a saftey net on failing casinos amongst other safeguards.

Now more than ever suppliers need to be conscious of the real value of the consumer and the need to look after his or her interests in a professional and responsible manner.

[jpm]

eCOGRA?? Please explain what this is, first I've heard of it.

[glodge]

eCOGRA

http://www.gamblingpress.com/archive...gpress0047.htm

[jpm]

Thanks glodge! For those others who were wondering:

The largest gambling software provider, Microgaming, and the largest online casino, Casino-on-net, today have joined forces in founding the eCOGRA. The E-commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) is a new online gambling watchdog that aims to provide online gamblers with "high levels of assurance of fair, honest, and responsible gaming."

The eCOGRA will issue a seal of approval to all online casinos that pass it's rigid and independent audit, including checks for consumer privacy and data protection, and ongoing reviews of all financial and gaming transactions.

The eCOGRA will have six directors: Andrew Beveridge, CEO of the new organization, a representative of Microgaming, a representative of Virtual Holdings Ltd (Casino-on-net), and three independent directors who will have voting control over board decisions to guarantee eCOGRA's autonomy from software providers and operators.

[jyde]

I hacked my way into Jetsets labtop and found this report from Montreal:

"Quick report from Montreal and specifically the discussions held on behalf of players with Chartwell (VP Dave Acorn) and RTG (Marketing Managers Eddy Kleid and Tom Brierley) both of which were visited on their GIGSE exhibition stands.

Chartwell, I was told was ripped off too by the failed Carib Sunshine casino and they are themselves trying to recover the owners who were apparently lawyers(!!!) Acorn said that the company was cognisant of the danger of damage to reputation caused by failing casinos and told me that as a consequence they had significantly tightened their acceptance procedures for potential licensees and were aiming to get more European oriented land-based owners as the preferred clientele.

They will not, however reverse their policy of staying hands off in the event of player-casino hassles. So that one was not what one would call an encouraging conclusion, and they will have to live with the consequences of stubbornly hewing to an outdated policy unpopular with the consumers.. IMO this sort of posture does not auger well for them in this market.

I also took the opportunity to urge them to more closely monitor leading MBs like this one and to respond promptly to emails sent to them.

Real Time Gaming was a pretty similar story. They claim they are tightening up on licensee applicants and existing operators and that they are paying more attention to the message boards and to complaints emailed to them following a lack of resolution at casino level. They claim that delays are not always their fault but sometimes the licensee is slow.

Before some of the older hands here say weve heard that before, yes we have and I made that point. I guess the proof of the pudding will be in the eating where the absolute evidence of improvement will be in far less complaints. Interestingly, I was told that where RTG could not get a licensee to redress a genuine client problem, they referred the complainant to Gambling Grumbles. Eddy K assured me he is receptive to emails about bad situations and if that proves to be the case in the future we will have made some progress there - time will tell.

Bottom line is that players have their own way of indicating displeasure with policies or events, and it is a foolish service supplier who disregards that.

Other than that the Isle of Man delegation were somehat chastened and admitted they had made some mistakes buit were sincere in wanting to get things back on track and welcomed any input. They will have player complaint facilities for their licensees. Alderney likewise.

More later - Im on my way to a briefing on eCOGRA where I hope they are going to be player sensitive."

[karto]

Karto is on hospital. So I, (Kargo´s mother) replies,
he deposited 250 and won 350 equalling 600.

[jigga]

jyde - any idea what the isle of mann reps meant when they said they made some mistakes...?

Just curious.

[jetset]

There was a lot of talk of too much bureaucracy and inflexibility and as a new service that is never good news, although there obviously has to be compliance with agreed standards. There were rumblings about this from a couple of the licensees there (who have sinve moved on) a couple of months ago or more. The IOM team emphasised that they had learned a lot and were very open to suggestions in improving their jurisdictional ambitions.

BWT the closing session at GIGSE was really interesting as Ladbrokes, Sportingbet and Victor Chandler top managersw debated cross-border business and regulation. The odd man out was a Danish government guy who was pleading the cause of sovreignty against the free-wheeling and fast moving nature if the internet. The real mnotives of various government monopolies that have taken international betting companies to court and the implications of the Treaty of Rome in the European context led to some heated discussion.

It was very interesting, and it seemed to me that at least in this area these big gambling rivals support one another and the fundamental freedoms of the Internet.

[karto]

This is ridiculous. If debts are only $2000 where is the problem???

Is that amount to overwhelming to pay?

[jyde]

Jetset - the danish taxguy - was it Peter Loft?

Governments don't gambling - as long as it's taxed.