PR: eCOGRA APPOINTS FORMER HEAD OF GAMING SERVICES TO THE BOARD

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eCOGRA APPOINTS FORMER HEAD OF GAMING SERVICES AT LEADING INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING FIRM TO THE BOARD

Bill Henbrey joins with 30 years experience in all aspects of the leisure and gaming industry

LONDON, November 28, 2006 - eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance) www.ecogra.org, the online gambling industry's player protection and standards authority, has appointed a highly experienced leisure and gaming financial executive as an additional independent director on the Board.

Chartered Accountant Bill Henbrey recently retired from BDO Stoy Hayward in London, where he was a partner and head of the betting & gaming and leisure & hospitality units, amassing over thirty years of experience in the business assurance and financial advisory fields for a wide range of tier one clients. The portfolios for the divisions he headed included UK and international companies both private and public involved in land-based gambling and, since 2000, online operations.

Mr. Henbrey was named "Best Business Adviser to Growing Businesses" by the CBI and Real Business magazine in 2000.

Bill Henbrey said, I am delighted to be joining eCOGRA at the very time when online gaming standards and conduct are under immense scrutiny. This is an opportunity for me to assist the industry to raise its performance levels and ensure the highest degree of commitment to fair and responsible gaming.


"We are very fortunate to secure the experience and commitment of such an accomplished financial executive for the eCOGRA Board," said CEO Andrew Beveridge in announcing the appointment. "His expertise and impressive skills complement the high calibre regulatory and business talents of our three existing independent directors, Michael Hirst OBE, Frank Catania and Bill Galston OBE."


- Ends -


Notes

eCOGRA, the independent standards authority for the online gambling industry, is committed to protecting online casino and poker players around the world. The non-profit organisation 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, over 100 sites comply with these requirements and have been awarded the coveted Play It Safe Seal that identifies to players the safest online gambling 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, London
stuart@chameleonpr.com
+44 (0)20 7680 5500
 
eCogra

I have a question that has been buzzing in my head for a while regards ecogra.

I understand that they profess to be independant but I find it very strange that most (all?) of the casino's to which they give the seal of approval to are Microgaming casinos.

I tried to click on a number of their approved sites and they are all MG sites. Also most of these casinos are directly / indirectly part of the Carmen Media group. Fortune lounge, bellerock casinos, prima poker etc

To me (and will be happy to be proven otherwise) it seems that ecogra is a "cover" for Microgaming to have a regulating body.

anyway the question is: are ecogra part of MG and Carmen media? :confused: I think so, please prove me wrong as I dont play MG sites for that reason.
 
I have a question that has been buzzing in my head for a while regards ecogra.

I understand that they profess to be independant but I find it very strange that most (all?) of the casino's to which they give the seal of approval to are Microgaming casinos.

I tried to click on a number of their approved sites and they are all MG sites. Also most of these casinos are directly / indirectly part of the Carmen Media group. Fortune lounge, bellerock casinos, prima poker etc

To me (and will be happy to be proven otherwise) it seems that ecogra is a "cover" for Microgaming to have a regulating body.

anyway the question is: are ecogra part of MG and Carmen media? :confused: I think so, please prove me wrong as I dont play MG sites for that reason.

I wasn't aware that Microgaming purchased 888.com and Pokerroom's Ongame. Why didn't anyone tell me? :rolleyes:
 
ecogra

As i said in my post I looked at a few not all the approved sites.AND the ones that I viewed were ALL microgaming.

What I did say was that MOST seemed to be microgaming. AND that I would be happy to be proven wrong:cheers:

I dont think that sarcasm in the form that you have displayed has place in a respected website:confused: :rolleyes:

Anyway if they are not a cover then my question has been answered.

cheers:lolup:
 
Devils Spawn (or is that *advocate* LOL, I'm kidding you!) if you do a search in the archives here you will no doubt find lots of argument and some factual explanations of how eCOGRA is structured, what it does and how its inspection, dispute resolution system and ongoing monitoring falls under the control of the 3 (now 4 - see release above) independent directors on its Board.

I don't think there can be too much question about the calibre of these senior businessmen's reputations and management experience, but that's an opinion you will form for yourself - if you want biographies on these guys visit www.ecogra.org.

On my last count there were something like 111 tier one online casinos and around 20-odd online poker rooms accredited to eCOGRA, powered variously by Ongame, 888.com and Microgaming.
 
As i said in my post I looked at a few not all the approved sites.AND the ones that I viewed were ALL microgaming.

What I did say was that MOST seemed to be microgaming. AND that I would be happy to be proven wrong:cheers:

I dont think that sarcasm in the form that you have displayed has place in a respected website:confused: :rolleyes:

Anyway if they are not a cover then my question has been answered.

cheers:lolup:
Sorry for being a scrooge - :D

It's a well worn question that has merit, but an easy explanation. eCOGRA scrutinizes the software provider before individual casinos are given the opportunity to apply and join. Microgaming was the first software provider to meet the criteria, followed by Casava (888.com) and then Ongame.

Obviously, Microgaming has a crap load of casinos most of which have been reviewed and joined since the beginning. Casava has 3 properties certified (Casino-on-net.com, 888.com, Pacific Poker). And Ongame has Pokerroom.com. If Casava and Ongame had a swarm of properties, they would be welcomed to join - but they just don't exist. That's the reason why it seems lopsided by your observation.

But it's not. It's three software providers, and I'm sure there are others who are considering joining.
 
The Meister makes a good point - at face value and looking at the individual brands it does look like an MGS-dominant organisation in terms of brands, but that's because the three software groups are structured differently.

Looked at in terms of number of players/amount of action generated/financial success the apparent *size* gap significantly narrows.

Both Ongame and 888.com have relatively few branded venues but massive player databases built up over years of operations, and between the three providers a substantial percentage of the total online casino and to a lesser extent poker room business is probably handled by the various brands.
 

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