2009 Newsletter

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

Shoes required…

Monday – Day One:
Photographic proof of the events can be found here.

London – I love London. Seeped in history and swirling with characters of all shapes and colors. It’s a metropolis of consumerism, stoney heritage, dark ancient alley ways, midnight city sweepers, and swanky restaurants. A perfect combination of everything. And I was back in Trafalgar square at my regular hotel.

I was planning to stay for a few days. The annual International Gaming Expo – which is known as the ICE for most old timers. This was my ninth annual visit; the first for me – Jan 2001. The plan was to hang around for the ICE, attend the CAP Awards dinner, then head to Bath Spa with a few webmaster buddies and chill for two days.

But first, it was the retirement dinner for Sue Schneider which was being held that evening on a boat.

I had some time to kill. I had arrived a bit too late to catch a movie, and subsequently – this would be the first trip to London without a film review. What a bummer since I really wanted to see “The Wrestler”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, and “milk” amongst others. Too late – they had already started.

So I meandered down to the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square and pleasantly killed a couple of hours there. Van Gogh’s “The Sunflowers” was mesmerizing. Seeing the museum lighting reflecting off of the paint strokes gave it a texture and presence that is impossible to experience via a print or replica. This is where the paint dried – and this is its essence. What a wonderful place to kill time.

Sue Schneider’s farewell party was packed. We were on one of those Thames river party boats – taking a cruise up and down the river, partaking in jovial jocularities, and it was great seeing so many familiar faces of those who have been in the industry as long as Sue has. It was a great way to start a week.

The dinner turned out to be a roast – a roast of Sue. Mark Balestra (our MC) began with how he was unsure whether or not the dinner dress code was formal or informal, but seeing that Sue was wearing shoes proclaimed that the dinner was formal. We had a lot of laughs at her expense that night. Even so, it’s going to be a shame seeing this fine lady go off to wherever e-gaming icons go when they retire. She’ll definitely be missed.

And the boat food was surprisingly good.

From there, some of us wandered off to the Buddha Bar – a relatively cool club with a nice ambience. We hung out for awhile until it was time to head back to the hotel. For some wild-ass reason, I decided to take a short-cut through a small park (which was closed and securely locked up), hopped over a spiked fence, and ripped my pants in a really bad spot. The first and only casualty of the trip.

Voice from the past – ICE 2002
As tradition stands, I stayed in the same hotel as Spearmaster and we nearly had our fill of Sushi and Indian food. It was never enough. But I went there for the ICE. The International Casino Exhibition was small, but it was the people who mattered. The charming and spunky Julie Sidwell (Gambling Grumbles) and I had a wonderful gossipy (and professional) discussion of everything from the Golden Palace fiascoes to “Friends”. I also had a nice talk with Vahe Baloulian from Casino-on-net, who has been instrumental in clearing up the very few grievances that I’ve received about his casino. It also turns out that he lives in the same town that I was born in. Small world isn’t it? I met with the guys from Microgaming, the gals from Intercasino, and many others as well.Tuesday – Day Two:
For the first time ever, it was a relatively short and painless queue to collect a badge for the exhibition hall. Once inside, it was clear that the exhibition was huge. The first item on the agenda was to hook up with Max Drayman, my high speed complaints and player grievance manager.

We found each other in the swirl of suits (Max and I don’t wear suits) and made our way around the expo hall. We met up with several operators and affiliate managers while making our rounds. Even stopping by some of the booths to chit chat and make our acquaintance.

From there, it was lunch at the Prince of Wales pub (which is right around the corner from the West Brompton tube station). Fish and Chips – I love them. We had a nice chat about Casinomeister, the industry, the Pitch a Bitches, and perhaps a bit about you my dear reader. Our members are what makes Casinomeister what it is.

That evening it was the Meister Meeting at Waxy O’Conners – a pub in Leicester Square. This was an meeting of anyone associated with Casinomeister’s forum, and it was a great night.

The venue was the tops. We had a moderately sized room on the bottom floor of the pub – perhaps there were thirty people there or so. It was mellow and intimate, and it is always great to meet up with the people you get to know on the forum. Zoozie, Grandmaster, KasinoKing, Greedygirl and all the moderators just to name a few. Heck, even Montel Williams showed up at the party, so you know it’s got to be cool. We had a couple of musicians laid on – the fiddler and guitarist from Bible Code Sundays who played all my favorites. I had the Pogues “Streams of Whiskey” running through my head for the next few days. If you were there – please buy a CD from their website to show your appreciation.

Montel and I discussed his new poker project, some of it is outlined here, and we talked a little about his new book: Living Well Emotionally: Living Well Emotionally: Break Through to a Life of Happiness, (he’s on a book tour at the moment). He epitomizes “living well emotionally” – you can tell just speaking with him. And besides all the personal stuff, what he’s going to be doing with and for poker is amazing. We have some exciting times ahead. Montel left, and we bid adieu with the anticipation of future rendezvous.

And the party wouldn’t be a party without the generosity of Club World Casinos. Thanks guys! The members and I really appreciate this!

The Meister Meeting adjourned, and several of us commenced on a pub crawl through Soho. It was a blast which peaked out at a club above Ladbrokes where KasinoKing and I got the place hopping, dancing like crazy men (I’m a sucker for live bands). By the time the tequila shots came ’round, my inner clock said it was time to go. Which it was, so I brought my sweaty self back to the hotel. It was a successful and delightful day.

Photographic proof of the jovial jocularities here.

Voice from the past – ICE 2006
I had the pleasure in meeting “Caruso“, one of the more outspoken members of Casinomeister’s forum. We had met before last year at the ICE, but only briefly. This year we had a chance to talk for a while about a number of things.

He was just finished with speaking to both Playtech and Gambling Federation – two casino entities that have had their share of problems. He did a nice write-up which he posted in our forum here. Again, I was impressed on how this industry has gotten a number of players involved with trying to make things right. It’s not just a money churning entity, it’s an entertainment industry that can never forget its responsibility to the player community. “Caruso” is also a nice chap.

Wednesday – Day Three:
Max and I met for lunch with the iNetBet guys at la Launceston Place in Kensington. This was probably one of the best meals of the trip; the cuisine is modern British with a twist of pizzazz. Lunch went over well with a number of discussions about players, casino operations, Kodiak bears, and just about everything else under the sun.

After lunch it was back at the ICE to meet with the representatives of the BetMax Casino Group (BetMax, Vegaslucky, VegasMagic, and Slotfever). He is adamant to coming on board – and they may be ready. It’s a low profile group that has had not many complaints. The ones that we had via PABs were taken care of some time ago. If any players have any outstanding issues with any of the casinos in this casino group, please let me know.

That evening – it was dinner action at J Sheekey’s with the gents from 32Red. What an evening that was! I even learned a bit about wine (one of my shortcomings since I’m a Bierman) – buy up as many 2007 wines from the Rhône, and then drink it in five years or so. It was supposed to be their best year in ages. So I guess I’ll give it a shot.

I had the Halibut, and told a number of my Alaskan fish tales – I have a lot of them.

Thursday – Day Four:
Began with lunch – Ristorante Semplice on Blenhiem St. was the place. The operator of Club World Casino was the host. He wanted Max to meet Tom, the casino manager, and get acquainted in person – vis-à-vis. And what better way to do this but over an Italian lunch.

Some of you may think that all we do at these conferences is eat. Well you’re right.

Marvelous food, and when it was over we parted ways…Max went back home, and me…onward to the exhibition hall.

I could have sworn that the ICE closed at 1800. I got there at 1545, and everyone was packing up getting ready to go. “What the hell?” I thought. But I ran into the operator of Rushmore Casino and we had a chat – mostly about some of the fraudsters that have been getting nailed at his casinos. There were a number of accounts that were locked due to suspicious activity, and they are going through them one by one. If the account is legit, the player will be paid. If it’s fraudulent, the player will be kicked to the curb. There are a handful of PABs at Casinomeister that fall under this category.

We headed to the Atlas, and chilled there for a while. It was pretty much packed with expo goers. It used to be the best keep secret of the ICE, but word got out a couple of years ago that this is a really cool place to hang out.

Voice from the past – ICE 2004

I don’t come here to hang out in booths, I come to talk to people, to meet with them get to know them and their operations. My digital recorder, lost in my backpack and belonging to some thief right now, was to assist me in making some unprecedented interviews with figureheads of this industry�so I bought a new one, and put it to good use. You can listen to these interviews here.

Ed Ware, the operator of 32Red Casino, was my first guest and we met in a rustic pub just down the road from the ICE. Our conversation was very informative. He touched on his policies on how his casino handles problem gamblers (which is a hot topic in the UK), and his casino’s relationship with US players. This is an operator truly dedicated to this industry and to his players. This is what operating a casino should be all about, and it’s nice seeing this personified.
That night – CAP Awards:

As a lot of you may know, the administration of CAP and I don’t see things eye to eye. And this is one of the reasons why I opted out on participating at CAP London this year. But I was invited to the CAP Awards, and I planned on going.

It was well attended – and it was a “Alice in Wonderland” themed event. Everyone was in relatively fine form, and there were a number of people I hadn’t seen yet. We drank Champagne from teas cups. Nice touch.

The food was okay, and everyone said that the comedian sucked. But actually, I thought he was hilarious. And then onward with the awards.

Ian Sims came in first place for Best Online Casino Affiliate. He was sitting at our table and was slapped on the back a few times on the way up to receive this award. Good going Simmo!

As the CAP Awards came to a close and people began to wander off to the Taxi queue, it was sad to note that the recent CAP issues seemed to have been on a number of people’s minds. I hope by next year, these issues will have been settled.

A group of us found ourselves back in Soho – we were looking for the Maya Bar, but no one seemed to know where this was. So we ended up at the McDonald’s in Leicester Square. I was famished, and as most of you probably know, I’m not a fan of processed junk food. But throwing caution to the wind, said what the hell and ordered a Quarter Pounder w/Cheese. My gawd, it was the worst burger I ever ate. I could barely get it down. I had better dehydrated burgers from my MREs back in the day. It was dry, tasteless, and it sucked. Never again.

Voice from the past – ICE 2004 Onward to Playtech’s Tila Tequila’s party for the launching of Tila Tequilla poker site. The party was held at Embassy Club London which at first seemed small (another dreaded wait at the bar for drinks) but surprisingly, this place was huge. Plenty of room to move around and chat. It was one of the better parties I’ve been to on these London tours. Kudos for the organizers, and yes Tila Tequila and her friends are hot.

Wait a moment. Who is this Tila Tequila and why is she so “big?” I kept asking certain individuals – the name kept turning my tongue into a knot – and I kept getting the same answer “She’s hot!” “She has 1.6 million friends at Myspace.com – she’s way more popular than Paris Hilton.” “You’re too old to know these things. It’s not your generation.” Well, the guy telling me this tried to make me feel old – but sorry, I’m pretty hip on what’s up and what’s not. So I went on to ask a number of people “Who is she?” and most people shrugged. Nevertheless, it was nice to see someone on cloud nine. Because that’s where she was that night – on top of the world. It was a pleasantly vicarious experience.

The night wore on…and I slipped out into the darkness heading back to my room.
Friday – Day Five:

Simmo!, Spearmaster, Jetset, and I had planned to head to Bath Spa to meet up with our good friend Webzcas (who lives in those parts). We met up at the Novotel in Hammersmith. One thing I noticed was that the tile on the hotel’s outdoor patio was all beat up. Not a good sign for a four star.

Inside, there were loads of people and I briefly met up with the casino rep for a new Asian casino that might be coming on board soon. Stay tuned for that one.

We left before the eventful drama had taken place, so we were some of the lucky ones. Stupid crap like that is really unnecessary, and I really surprised that it had gone that far. If you haven’t a clue about what I’m talking about, you can read about it here.

Anyway, our main focus was just to have a break and spend time with close friends – which is exactly what we did. We took a train from Paddington Station to Bath Spa. It took about an hour and a half.

We met up with Webzcas, his wife, and more friends for a really cool meal at the Firehouse Rotisserie – Californian style no doubt. Some of us then started getting text messages about the fracas over at the CAP conference. This livened up the dinner conversation.

Saturday – Day Six:

Do you like cheddar cheese? Well the four of us headed to Cheddar via taxi to visit the Cheddar Caves. It’s a must see if you’re in the area. The audio tour is on of the best I’ve heard, and the caves have a lot of stories to listen to. It was really a memorable experience.

Back in Bath: Jetset and Spearmaster took a tour of the Roman baths (I’ve been there before), and I checked out the Abbey. Really a solemn place since the interior is lined with the gravestones and memoriums for hundreds of people. One I found peculiar was a stone that read: “Sacred to the Memory of James Bassett of the Parish of Lyncombe and Widcombe who died July 9th 1829. Aged 40 Years. Who in the Moment of Social Pleasure received a fall which soon deprived him of Life, and sent him (in Blessed hope) to another and better World….

Social Pleasure? I’m glad that his last moments were apparently pleasurable. I wonder what he was doing. And it ends, “to the reader, Think! in the Midst of life, we are in death.” You can check this out here

Outside the Abbey, there were two acrobats performing in black g-strings and performing comical acts of public entertainment. The grand finalé was of them performing handstands with sparklers poking out from their butts. Photographic proof here.

The day ended with a fantastic dinner in an Italian restaurant – Martini Restaurant. It was packed with a line going out the door – for good reason.

The rest of the evening was spent chilling in our hotel lobby, drinking Baileys and beer. And it was clear that this business has taken me on a good road. I can count my blessings, some of them of having the opportunity to travel, see and do interesting things, and to have friends that are a pleasure to be with. I’m a pretty lucky guy.

And another year has passed – another conference chalked up on the wall. It’s a wonderful job.

Voice from the past – ICE 2001
I’ve had a couple of weeks to contemplate my experiences of the Interactive Casino Exhibition and would have to say it was overall a satisfying experience, but it was too small. It was great seeing the faces behind the websites and emails I’ve been in contact with over the past couple of years, but the ICE could have been bigger. There were perhaps only about twenty-five booths; that was it. I was also surprised by how many “newbies” were in the business, people who have never visited the forums of Casinomeister, Winneronline, Got2bet, or other quality gaming information sites. This was scary. It goes to show that many of these vendors have not done their homework when it comes to finding out what is “really” happening in the online gaming world. It was the “oldtimers”, people who have been in the business for a while, who knew about our sites, and consequently, understood the importance of sites like ours. This new budding industry has a lot to learn.

13 February 2009

Dear Reader,

Friday the 13th…does it suck, or not? Well, I ain’t superstitious, but a black cat crossed my trail. And don’t you hit me wit’ a broom. It’s a sign you may get in jail.

Haphazardly yours,

Bryan

CHURNING AWAY

Yep, slowly but surely – catch up time from the ICE and London trip is starting to clear up. And the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train, it’s Bavaria’s Fasching school holiday. Which means – yes – I’ll be taking off again, this time with the family. Seems like I can never get any work done.

And then I’ll be getting ready for the CAC in Amsterdam. I’m looking forward to that.

Meanwhile, it’s an exercise of watching the CAP implosion take effect. It’s a shame really, watching how a series of bad business choices have really messed up this organization.

I’m not going to entertain the mudslinging and juvenile antics that have been reported ad nauseam in the fora, nor will I address the questionable roguelike activities that have taken place. What I will address briefly is that I don’t like seeing people fail. I began a thread in our forum entitled The CAP Solution, and I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read this. There is another thread that has some rather good points: Should CAP be Rogued?. This has input from some high profile webmasters and players as well. It would be worth your time to read this since it affects you as a player.

Why? Because you as a player are directly affected by the actions of affiliates. Are you being presented with safe casinos? Is the webmaster well read-up on which casinos are doing good…and which ones are screwing players over? Is your favorite portal presenting casinos that are legitimate business entities? You rely on the webmaster. You trust the webmaster’s judgement – well at least I hope you do.

CAP is there to support the webmaster AND the affiliate manager. If CAP is not doing its job, then the trickle down effect will affect you. For many players, what is wrong with CAP is nothing but a train smash-up, but it’s something that you should be keeping tabs on.

You need to care about who you throw your money at. Do you care about the brand? Is it 32Red? Is it Club World? Or do you not care and just go with the flow and hope for the best at your favorite bonus farm.

Players need to bone up on what’s happening in affiliate-land. You need to know how your portal webmaster makes his or her decisions on which casinos are presented to you. You owe it to yourself to smarten up and watch what’s going on. Stay tuned to this spot.

 

FRAUDSTER ALERT!!!

 

Vacationers beware…

A fraud ring has been busted out recently at one of our Accredited Casinos. This fraudster was using other people’s passports feigning he was these people. The casino launched an investigation and it turns out that these people were the victims of identity theft. How did this a-hole get a copy of their passports? Well one of the things that these people had in common was that they had recently vacationed in the mediterranean. When registering at whatever hotel, the hotel photocopied their passports. Well how about that? I’ve done this a number of times – checked into a hotel and they photocopy my passport. Well never again, I tell ya. These photocopies end up on the black market.

If a hotel insists on photocopying your passport, make sure you write VOID across it with a big felt-tip marker. Or just refuse to do it – tell ’em Casinomeister says it’s a totally bogus thing to do.

WELCOME BACK ENGLISH HARBOUR!!

After a four year absence, let’s welcome back the English Harbour casino group. Powered by Vegas Technology software, and presenting a myriad of original slots and bitchin’ video poker, they are back in the Accredited Section thanks to their dedicated staff and operators. I’m pleased to bring them back on.

First time customers are eligible to receive their exclusive deposit bonus. Each time you make a deposit they will match it by 100% up to $200 on your first four deposits! US friendly casino.

Check them out here!

https://www.casinomeister.com/cgi-bin/adcycle1.15/adclick.cgi?gid=5&cid=211&mid=823&id=945

 

ASIAN I-GAMING CONGRESS

It’s not too late to plan for the Asian I-Gaming Congress. From their website: “AiG, Asia’s premier and largest i-gaming conference and expo returns to the Venetian, Macau from the 24-26 February 2009. AiG 2008 was a huge success with just under 500 attendees enjoying three days of conferencing and a sold out exhibition. With the continued success of its sister event EiG, the world?s largest i-gaming conference, AiG will occupy more space this year with a bigger exhibition area and more delegates anticipated to attend.”

I was there last year, and the year before – unfortunately, whoever scheduled this year’s event placed it smack dab in the middle of school vacation in Bavaria. So we had a family vote a) Dad goes to Macau alone for partying, networking, and reporting on the Asian market to you guys, or b) I go with the family skiing in Austria. Needless to say, I didn’t have a choice. So sorry to be a party pooper – I won’t be there.

But even so, you can still have a wonderful time. Asia is a fascinating market, and the AiG is an excellent conference to attend. It’s not too late to register! Check it out here!.

 

And now for the humor……

UGLY BABY

A middle-aged couple, with two beautiful daughters, decided to try one last time for the son they always wanted. Soon, the wife became pregnant, and, nine months later, delivered a baby boy.

The joyful father rushed to the nursery to see his new son, but was horrified to find an incredibly-ugly baby.

He went to his wife and said, “I cannot possibly be the father of that hideous child. Look at the two beautiful daughters I fathered.”

When his wife blushed, he became suspicious, and demanded, “Have you been fooling around on me?”

His wife confessed, “Not this time.”

ha ha ha!

 

BETCHA.COM ISSUE RESURFACES

Appeal court rules it’s not online gambling if the participants can renege on a bet

A case in Washington and Louisiana – states notorious for hardline stances on Internet gambling – resurfaced after two years this week with a favourable appeal court ruling, reports Techdirt.

The case involved an innovative online ‘betting’ site called Betcha.com, launched by a Washington state lawyer called Nick Jenkins back in 2007 and closed after predatory raids by police, egged on by the local gambling authority and a sting operation involving a single Louisiana State Trooper. Speculation at the time was that the Washington and Louisiana state authorities may have indulged in some collaborative enforcement designed to put the troublesome and defiant Jenkins out of business.

The irony, as always in American politics and government, is that Washington state benefits from taxation on almost every other form of land-based gambling….but back to Nick Jenkins and Betcha.com. His concept was that his person-to-person betting site fell outside the definition of “illegal gambling” because punters could renege on their bets…therefore removing the risk required in wagering. As Techdirt describes it: “…if you lost a wager, you could click a button saying “I refuse to pay.”

The catch was that the site had a rating system, and if a ‘gambler’ reneged, it was likely to harm his or her rating, and others might refuse to bet against them in future. Betcha claimed that the presence of the renege button meant that it wasn’t actually gambling, because the punter never actually had to bet any money.

The state of Washington not only disagreed with Jenkins’s view, it took only a little more than a month before state authorities threatened the entrepreneur. When he refused to back down, and apparently at the request of Louisiana law enforcers who had mounted a one-trooper sting operation to establish ‘wrongdoing,’ Seattle officials raided the company premises, confiscating equipment and arresting employees, and making it practically impossible for the enterprise to continue.

Techdirt correctly comments that these official actions seem pretty extreme for what appeared to be a rather open question in the law.

Louisiana then asked for the cooperation of Washington state in ‘extraditing’ Jenkins and colleagues Josie Imlay and Peter Abrahamsen to face illegal gambling charges in Louisiana. Despite appeals for support by Seattle-residing Jenkins, Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire refused to set aside the extradition order, allowing this flimsy case to proceed. Jenkins and his employees then travelled to Lousiana to give themselves up and were subsequently released on bail and persuaded to enter a plea.

The case has some similarities with that of the then Sportingbet chairman Peter Dicks who in 2006 was detained on arrival in New York on a sealed warrant from Louisiana after state officials placed ‘sting’ wagers on the UK website. However, New York governor George Pataki refused to permit the extradition, and the case was eventually resolved through a $400 000 settlement with the Louisiana officials.

In the Betcha.com case there were hints of official collusion between the Washington State Gambling Commission and the Louisiana Special Gaming Enforcement Division after Jenkins took issue with the former over the legality of his Betcha.com site, which provided an online venue for mainly prop deals between individuals but did not itself offer gambling services.

Soon after the WSGC clash the site facilitated $35 in bets from a single Louisiana resident, netting the company a total of 70 cents on the transaction. The Louisiana resident was subsequently revealed as an undercover trooper with the Louisiana Special Gaming Enforcement Division (SPGED), taking part in a month-long joint ‘investigation’ conducted by the SPGED and the Washington State Gambling Commission (WSGC).

“The only customer Betcha.com had in Louisiana was the state trooper, and the transaction that the state trooper did at the obvious instigation of the [WSGC] netted Betcha.com $0.70,” Betcha.com’s lawyer Lee Rousso said at the time. “These are the facts; these are the undisputable facts. This was a misuse of government resources and government power.”

Too late to save Betcha.com – now long closed – but perhaps forming a platform for personal claims against the authorities, the issue saw a conclusion in the appeal courts this week.

The court found that the Betcha founder was right all along; the presence of the renege button meant that the site was not a gambling site.

The court ruled: “Accordingly, there is nothing risked, which is the essence of both the common law and statutory definition of ‘gambling.’”

So the Betcha.com founder and his employees were threatened, harassed, arrested, deprived of business property, thrown in jail, extradited to Louisiana and charged with gambling-related felonies that finally forced them to negotiate a plea bargain to be rid of the matter.

To quote Techdirt: “Way to go Washington State – you tossed a guy in jail for a completely legal web business.”

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

19 February 2009

Dear Reader,

Believe it or not, February is almost over. And instead of heading to the AIG conference in Macau next week, I’m going skiing for the Fasching holiday. See ya!

Adventurously yours,

Bryan

ATTENTION WEBMASTERS!

This week we expanded the Webmaster’s Corner of our forum to include a private forum for the Casinomeister Accredited Casinos’ Affiliate Programs – CACAP. It’s like Ca Ca with Pee at the end…

…so much for my scatological sense of humor.

This section is open to all Casinomeister registered webmasters. If you haven’t registered yet, it’s easy. All you have to do is go to your User CP and find the section on User Groups. Select “webmeister” as the group you want to join.

Webmasters only need to list your webmastered websites in your user profile – that’s it.

Again, the private forum is for CACAPs and webmasters only. Be there or be square.

---

Hey hey hey – we have a new moderator in our forum!! Let’s give a warm welcome to Webzcas – a long time member and fellow webmaster buddy. He’ll be moderating and assisting those in the Webmaster’s Corner. Please give him no grief. He just might ban yo’ ass.

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

Chillin’ with the Meister – 19 February 2009.

It’s chill-time as I talk about the new webmaster section, identity theft, CAC2009 Amsterdam, and Protecto gives us a casino warning…

Haven’t watched these yet? Man, you’re missing out on hours of jovial jocularities and damn good info. You can find all of our webcasts here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

BRAND NEW CASINOMEISTER MEMBER!!!

Let’s give a warm welcome to Jackpot Capital – our newest member in the Casinomeister Accredited section. Powered by RTG software and US friendly.

JackpotCapital is giving away a $100 FREE Welcome Bonus!

Sign up now and claim your bonus here!

Terms and conditions apply. Please read them.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

 

And Now For The Humor

 

A few minutes before the church services started, the congregation was sitting in their pews and talking. Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church. Everyone started screaming and running for the back entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate. Soon the church was empty except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God’s ultimate enemy was in his presence.

So Satan walked up to the man and said, ‘Do you know who I am?’

The man replied, ‘Yep, sure do.’

‘Aren’t you afraid of me?’ Satan asked.

‘Nope, sure ain’t.’ said the man.

Don’t you realize I can kill you with one word?’ asked Satan.

‘Don’t doubt it for a minute, ‘ returned the old man, in an even tone.

‘Did you know that I can cause you profound, horrifying agony for all eternity?’ persisted Satan.

‘Yep,’ was the calm reply.

‘And you’re still not afraid?’ asked Satan.

‘Nope,’ said the old man.

More than a little perturbed, Satan asked, ‘ Why aren’t you afraid of me?’

The man calmly replied, ‘Been married to your sister for 48 years.’

ha ha ha!

 

4 March 2009

Dear Reader,

Well – back from vacation…betcha didn’t even know I was gone. And the smoke is finally clearing off of my desk; I’m finally getting caught up. With that in mind – there’s a poker tournament tonight – exclusive for Casinomeister forum members (info below). Also some news as well.

Stay tuned for the normal newsletter on Thursday (tomorrow already?)

Busily yours,

Bryan

 

GAMBLING AFFILIATE PROGRAMS MAKES AN ENTRANCE

65 of the online gambling industry’s top programs looking for a better management solution

After weeks of whispers that a major development has been quietly taking place in the affiliate marketing world, an announcement this week introduced what looks likely to be a powerful new force in the affiliate program sector – Gambling Affiliate Programs.

In a news release published at http://sites.google.com/site/gamblingaffiliateprograms/ the new body was introduced, describing itself as a group of 65 of the online gaming industry’s largest operators and gambling affiliate programs that have joined together to collaborate efforts to help ensure the online gaming industry will be managed and networked professionally and effectively going forward.

The reference to professional and network management in the future is being widely interpreted as a reference to the recent and very public ethical questions and corporate power struggles swirling around Casino Affiliate Programs, Affiliate Media Inc., and Effective Media Group. It is known that many programs were dismayed and embarrassed at the manner in which events involving those companies unfolded.

The news release notes that the cooperation of online gambling affiliate programs has always been a topic of interest, and in light of recent industry developments, including “…a fiasco involving one of the major networking and conferencing companies”, it has now become critical that action is taken in a proactive manner.

A spokesman for the program said: “Our motive on this collaboration (sic) initiative is to simply ensure that operators, gaming affiliate programs and the affiliates themselves have a resource in place that best represents our needs and those of our affiliates and business partners.

“Accordingly, the goal is to support an entity that is aligned with our interests and will help cultivate our community in a fair and impartial manner including developing business relationships as well as optimizing networking opportunities.”

He continued, “In reaching out to the rest of the community, we are actively seeking a solution that will be in the best interest for all parties involved. We are confident that by working collectively we will find a mutually beneficial solution.”

Invitations were sent out to most, if not all, operators and gaming affiliate programs to join ‘In’ the collaboration. Programs that have confirmed their participation to take back control and encourage a fair and regulated gambling industry are:400 Affiliates
888
Bet365 Affiliates
Betsafe Affiliate Program
Betus Partners
Betway Partners
Bodog Affiliates
BrightShare
Buzzluck Affiliate Program
C-Planet
Commission Account
Commission Warehouse
CWC Affiliates
Earn United
EarnReal
EGO – EGamingOnline
Euro Linx
Euro Partners
Eurobet Affiliates
EuropaPointGroup
Everest Affiliates
Fortune Affiliates
Galacoral
Gaming VC
GamingDollars
GamingPromo
Gnuf
Heaven Affiliates
Income Access
iNetBet Affiliate
Intertops
Ladbrokes
Lion Slots
LuckyAcePartners
Mainstreet Affiliate
Mansion Affiliates
Market-ace
Neogames
Paddy Power
PartnerLogic
Party Partners
PDCAffiliates
Pitbull Partners
PlayShare Partners
PokerStars
Prime Partners
Purple Lounge
Red Flush
ReferBack
ReferIncome
Rewards Affiliates
RomePartners
Roxy Affiliates
RummyRoyal
SportingBet Europe
StanJames
Star Partner
The Bingo Affiliates
TheBingoAffiliates
Thisisvegas Affiliates
Totesportcasino
Tower Affiliates
Unibet Partners
Virgin Games
Wager Profits

The move could represent a serious threat to the continued business prosperity of CAP/AMI and perhaps EMG, representing a new organisation through which affiliate programs and affiliates can exchange views, form a community and get together at conferences. The phrase “take back control and encourage a fair and regulated gambling industry” is especially noteworthy regarding GAP’s intentions.

The certification of affiliate programs – a major source of criticism under the CAP/AMI regime – is not specifically referred to in the news release.

The organisation intends to be as transparent as possible, and will be posting updates at http://sites.google.com/site/gamblingaffiliateprograms/ as the “reunification of a currently scattered and fractured gaming industry” progresses.

You can join the discussion here.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

7 March 2009

Dear Reader,

Yeah I know it’s Saturday, but this is just a quick one to make a couple of announcements.

Simply yours,

Bryan

 

 

 

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

There are two new videos, just uploaded last night!!

Casinomeister’s Webcast – 7 March 2009 its main topic is online casino business ethics, do’s and don’ts, spammy marketing techniques, and a few other crucial matters.

And then there is Chillin’ with the Meister – here we chill with Protecto and discuss an online casino warning that has been announced at Casinomeister. You ought to check this out…and be chillin’.

Haven’t watched these yet? Man, you’re missing out on hours of jovial jocularities and damn good info. You can find all of our webcasts here.

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And Now For The Humor

The spoon:

A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in an organization.

Last week, we took some friends to a new restaurant, ‘Steve’s Place,’ and noticed that the waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket.

It seemed a little strange. When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I observed that he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket.

Then I looked around and saw that all the staff had spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve our soup I inquired, ‘Why the spoon?’

‘Well, ‘he explained, ‘the restaurant’s owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour.

If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15 man-hours per shift.’

As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he replaced it with his spare. ‘I’ll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now.’ I was impressed.

I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the waiter’s fly.

Looking around, I saw that all of the waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So, before he walked off, I asked the waiter, ‘Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?’

‘Oh, certainly!’ Then he lowered his voice. ‘Not everyone is so observant. That consulting firm I mentioned also learned that we can save time in the restroom.

By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the restroom by 76.39%.

I asked quietly, ‘After you get it out, how do you put it back?’

‘Well,’ he whispered, ‘I don’t know about the others, but I use the spoon.’

ha ha ha!

 

19 March 2009

Dear Reader,

Unbelievable – tomorrow is the first day of Spring, and my youngest daughter’s birthday. So I’ll be in a serious chill mode starting…. about….now.

Punctually yours,

Bryan

 

Busy week this be. The forum has been hopping with a number of provocative and controversial topics. We’ve also taken on a few new casinos in our Accredited Casinos section, (scroll down for these), and there are a number of things on the stove cooking away.

And of course there is the aftermath of CAP – the smoke is still lingering. What a shame to see it end the way it did. But like they say, out with the old, in with the new. I’m sure that after the CAC in Amsterdam, there will be some projects ready-to-go that can fill the void that the implosion has made. Looking forward to letting you know what is up with them.

WHAT’S UP IN THE FORUM

Things have been very busy this week in Meisterland. There are a few recent posts which should be of interest for operators, webmasters, and players alike. You may want to peruse the following:

Licensing question for Rep’s
To all Reps – With which Licensing authority is your Casino registered and on what basis did your Casino choose this Licensing authority over others?

Thanks
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/30134-licensing-question-reps.html

IMPORTANT – CAP Euro Event Changes
iGaming Business distancing itself from CAP is not as easy as it seems. Read about this here:

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/30134-licensing-question-reps.html

Q&A for Casino Club and “Real Player” concerning the confiscations of winnings
This is a thread that presents questions to “Realplayer” – a German player who has been accused of fraud thus negating his €157,000 win – and to Casino Club. At the moment, the issue has been forwarded to Malta’s Lottery and Gaming Authority. All eyes are on them – again.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/30134-licensing-question-reps.html

In the Webmaster’s section:
Pre-empted Warning!
Funkified terms and conditions at Luckynetwork.comIf you are found to be cheating or attempting to defraud the games or if you make untrue and/or malicious comments with regard to the Company’s operation, the Company reserves the right to publicize your actions together with your identity and e-mail address as well as to circulate this information to other casinos, banks, credit card companies and appropriate agencies

These terms are not as uncommon as you think. Check it out here: https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/30134-licensing-question-reps.html

 

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And now for the humor……

A girl goes into the doctor’s office for a checkup. As she takes off her blouse, he notices a red ‘H’ on her chest. “How did you get that mark on your chest?” asks the doctor. “Oh, my boyfriend went to Harvard and he’s so proud of it he never takes off his Harvard sweatshirt, even when we make love,” she replies.

A couple of days later, another girl comes in for a checkup. As she takes off her blouse, he notices a blue ‘Y’ on her chest. “How did you get that mark on your chest?” asks the doctor. “Oh, my boyfriend went to Yale and he’s so proud of it that he never takes off his Yale sweatshirt, even when we make love,” she replies.

A couple of days later, another girl comes in for a checkup. As she takes off her blouse, he notices a green ‘M’ on her chest. “Do you have a boyfriend at Michigan?” asks the doctor. “No, but I have a girlfriend at Wisconsin, Why do you ask?”

ha ha ha!

27 March 2009

Dear Reader,

Believe it or not, CAC is upon us (at least upon us webmasters). It’s a decent event held in the indecent city of Amsterdam. See ya!

Decently yours,

Bryan

Amsterdam, here I come! Yep, it’s the seventh annual Casino Affiliate Convention – Amsterdam. Like every year, this one promises to be a lively event – even more so with the disgraceful implosion of CAP (Casino Affiliate Programs). The affiliate realm has a huge amount of work cut out for itself – and this will be a primary focus of discussion. Affiliates, like players, need some sort of safeguard to protect them from unscrupulous or unfair marketing policies.

My eyes and ears will be open for any relevant info I can pass along your way. Watch this space for Casinomeister’s Annual Amsterdam report.

---

Speaking of gathering information, here’s a thread you can post a query to if you have any questions or concerns you’d like me to check out while I’m there. You can check this out here.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/30362-cac-2009-amsterdam-player-affiliate-queries.html

 

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

Forum Etiquette – 27 March 2009.

How to not look like a dumb ass in your favorite message board or forum. Soak in some posting tips – what to do and what not to do when posting your ideas online.

Also a reading from Moby Dick, a casino warning for Shufflemasterlive.com, jovial jocularities. You can check this out here here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

 

 

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Now For The Humor….

A father watched his young daughter playing in the garden.

He smiled as he reflected on how sweet and pure his little girl was.

Tears formed in his eyes as he thought about her seeing the wonders of nature through such innocent eyes.

Suddenly she just stopped and stared at the ground.

He went over to her to see what work of God had captured her attention.

He noticed she was looking at two spiders mating.

‘Daddy, what are those two spiders doing?’ she asked.

‘They’re mating,’ her father replied.

‘What do you call the spider on top?’ she asked.

‘That’s a Daddy Longlegs,’ her father answered.

‘So, the other one is a Mommy Longlegs?’ the little girl asked.

As his heart soared with the joy of such a cute and innocent question he replied, ‘No dear. Both of them are Daddy Longlegs.’

‘The little girl, looking a little puzzled, thought for a moment, then lifted her foot and stomped them flat.

‘Well, we’re not having any of that gay shit in our garden’ she said.

ha ha ha!

 

USA IN BREACH OF WTO RULES IN ONLINE GAMBLING CASE

EU concludes a 12 month investigation into inequities and discriminatory nature of US position

Dow Jones business news service reports that the 27 nation European Union trade bloc has announced the completion of its 12 month investigation into US anti-online gambling practices, reaching the conclusion that the US government is in breach of international trade rules.

The investigation was undertaken at the behest of major European gambling groups working through the Remote Gaming Association, which claimed that US laws and enforcement practices discriminated against European online gambling businesses and individuals and were in breach of World Trade Organisation rules.

The finding is a further setback for the Americans, who have lost a succession of trade disputes in the WTO brought against them by the Antigua and Barbuda government and based on US anti-online gambling laws.

EU investigators said that U.S. moves to bar European online gambling companies from operating in the U.S. constitute an obstacle to trade despite the US Trade Representative unilaterally removing gambling from its WTO trade obligations last year.

The report found that “US laws deny access and discriminate against foreign suppliers of gambling and betting services inconsistently with US WTO obligations.”

It goes on to label the regulatory changes the United States made in 2006 [the UIGEA] “legally not justified and discriminatory.”

The US has previously attempted to buy its way out of the issue by signing a negotiated settlement with the EU back in 2007 aimed at providing Europe with various incentives to keep the ban intact. The status of this settlement remains unknown, because its content has been kept secret by the USTR “for reasons of national security.”

Despite this, European companies, which lost massive amounts of money in exiting the US market post-UIGEA, still face retroactive prosecution by the US DEaprtment of Justice in respect of pre-UIGEA American activity. Party Gaming, Sportingbet and 888.com have all admitted to being in talks with the DoJ in the hopes of reaching a settlement that will allow them to move on, albeit not necessarily in US business.

The EU investigation addressed this point, commenting: ?The proceedings are continuing despite the withdrawal of European companies from the U.S. market in 2006 following changes in the U.S. regulatory framework,? the report advises, concluding that these proceedings are legally not justified and discriminatory.

Although proceedings at the World Trade Organisation would be justified, the investigating team recommended that the E.U should seek a negotiated solution with the U.S. government on the matter, the report said.

E.U. Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said: “It is for the U.S. to decide how best to regulate Internet gambling in its market, but this must be done in a way that fully respects WTO obligations.”

“I am hopeful that we can find a swift, negotiated solution to this issue,” she added.

Clive Hawkswood, chief executive officer of the Remote Gambling Association, said the industry complaint was lodged with the EU mainly over the prosecution and threat of prosecution against EU operators. ?If the U.S. can give the EU some assurances it will no longer take action, then we?d be very happy,? he said.

The EU report confirms the RGA view that: ?the threat of serious sanctions hanging over? these companies affects their activities outside the U.S. and there are knock-on effects on other sectors that supply the gambling industry, such as financial or professional services.

Nefeterius McPherson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative?s office in Washington, said her agency and the Department of Justice ?are studying the report and will discuss it with the European Commission.?

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

 

8 April 2009

Special Edition
Casino Affiliate Convention 2009 – Amsterdam

Dear Reader,

And here we go with Casinomeister’s annual CAC report – Amsterdam. If reading about the tripiness of Amsterdam, freaky people, red light hookers, bitchin’ restaurants, and online gaming is your thing, then read on…

Reportingly yours,

Bryan

CAC 2009 – Amsterdam

 

What happened to all the hookers?…

Amsterdam is always a pleasure – especially when one attends the Casino Affiliate Convention, and this was my sixth annual attendance. One of the joys is taking the train from Bierland Germany, to the Central Train Station in Amsterdam. I hate flying. And riding the train is both relaxing and aesthetic – the German and Dutch countryside whizzing by in a blur is a meditative event. You should try it sometime.

And of course I had the Soprano’s third season with me. Thanks to my laptop’s DVD player, I killed a few hours indulging in one of the best shows ever produced.

I arrived Sunday afternoon. It was sunny, but a bit brisk. I checked into my hotel, and had my obligatory dose of decadent KFC. I was prepared for a week of serious business. But before business…pleasure.

And what could be more pleasurable than going on a Beer tour. Ladbrokes sponsored a tour of the Heineken Brewery which was fairly interesting – and they had free beer. Actually the beer was rather good; it’s a bit different coming from the brewery than what you get at home.

We had dinner that evening at an Argentine Steak House. It was pretty decent – I normally don’t eat steak, but this time I made an exception. And as you would probably had guessed it, the conversation revolved around the CAP implosion and how it was affecting operators and affiliates. I was anticipating the following day since I’m quite concerned about affiliate/affiliate manager relations.

We partied that evening at the Werck – thanks to Euro Partners who sponsored the event. It’s a shame that the bar closed early – relatively of course, so we meandered back to the hotel. We had a disappointing moment when Andy Scott of Ladbrokes, decided not to jump naked into one of the canals after I offered him 50 Euros to do so. We were bummed. But he did promise to do this on the following night…

Voice from the past – CAC 2008
As I did a Google Earth search and found a hotel with outstanding reviews which was in the area I had hoped for. Funny that it didn’t show up at Expedia or Hotels.nl – but it was listed at Tripadvisor.com (where I had read the reviews). Free WiFi, Flatscreen LCD TV with a DVD player, breakfast included, clean in a choice location – all this for €115 – which is about half the price for a low-end 4 star. So I checked it out – The Black Tulip a gay leatherman’s hotel.

Hmmm, I’m not really into that scene – honest – but the accommodations sounded great, so I booked it after they said they “like them straight too”.

So there I was – getting my briefing on the Hotel rules. The owner was obligated to go over these, regardless of my relationship status: “Rule number one: No Crisco – it smells and stinks up the place.” Made sense to me – no worries there.

I had a cage in my room – for people.Monday – Day One:
A lot of us didn’t know what to expect with all the crazy affiliate stuff recently. We wondered what the turn out would be, wondered who would be there – and who would be a no show. I was happy to see a number of familiar faces, and the mood seemed to be rather upbeat.

The exhibition hall held about half of what it had last year. I made my rounds, and a few of the affiliate managers voiced their concerns that they were expecting a better turn out. I drank some coffee, ate a bagel, and then ran into Bob Rains in the lobby of the hotel. We decided to sit and have a chat.

Bob Rains is the new guy on board for CAP, and he wanted to pick my brain on how CAP can pull itself together – I was rather frank with him. CAP, in my opinion, is a done deal; there is no possibility for this company to right itself. After the fiascos of forum drama and mudslinging amongst its executives, the CAP Spring Break was its Swan Song. The Cancun event was abysmal – around 16 people showed up, around 4-6 of them were affiliates. If my memory serves me well, several weeks ago Lou Fabiano made a CAP video and he warned those who were contemplating to attend that they needed to reserve a spot fast because the hotel was nearly booked out. I spoke with an affiliate manger who had contacted CAP a few weeks before the event asking them how many affiliates were showing up. He was told at least 125 were confirmed. Lies, lies and more lies.

These affiliate managers and their operators were screwed. They invested time and their company’s resources to attend this event and took a massive financial hit based upon CAP’s bullshit. And who got screwed the worst? It was the affiliates. Most affiliates are small time and their business is a month to month venture. They ought to be pissed off in a most serious way – these people flushed their money down the drain, and for what? To hang out in an overpriced tourist hell hole? They were mislead and cheated by CAP. There should be no room for CAP to continue “business as usual”. It’s over for CAP in my opinion. And most of the persons I’ve spoken with – both affiliates and affiliate managers – feel exactly the same way.

Lunch crept up, and I headed for Chinese at a really outstanding Chinese restaurant (just a five minute walk from the CAC) with the Casino Coins people. We had quite an enjoyable lunch. And discussed amongst other things – the aftermath of CAP.

That afternoon: I participated in a panel discussion which included Simmo! and J.Todd of APWC and the topic was ethics in the casino industry.

For one thing, the term “ethics” is a bit subjective. What is ethical for one company, may be way out of line for another. To define ethics, one can use the fairness meter: what is fair for player, the operator, and for the affiliate is probably ethical.

We also discussed the possibility of the certification of affiliate programs.

CAP was certifying affiliate programs until they did a faceplant. The certification from them was pretty much meaningless since it only indicated that the affiliate program paid a fee to be listed at CAP. For webmasters it had no worth – same goes for the affiliate managers. The only people who benefited from these “Certifications” were the people running CAP. The question presented was whether or not this industry needs certification of affiliate programs, and if so – could it be done? My answer was and is no.

No – for a number of reasons. For one, it’s too problematic. There are too many companies coming from differing parts of the globe, each with its own view point and philosophy on marketing online gaming. It’s much more complicated than some people think.

The first thing that should be considered is this: what properties are being promoted by the affiliate program? Are the casinos reputable, upstanding properties that treat their players in a fair and professional manner? I’ve come across a number of stellar casinos that are backed by suck-ass affiliate programs. I’ve also dealt with a number of roguish or mismanaged casinos that have fantastic affiliate programs. Do you see the problem here?

Another concern was “who” would be behind the certification. How transparent would this entity be, and would they have any conflicts of interest? Would they be biased for or against any software providers? eCOGRA‘s Andrew Beveridge was there to entertain some questions. I was surprised that there are still those who think that eCOGRA is a puppet of Microgaming and 888.com. That couldn’t be further than the truth. eCOGRA may be a solution, but there are a number of operators who still distrust the organization, which is unfortunate. Some of these people need to read up on the matter a bit more.

And there was the issue of why should the affiliate managers put up with an additional cost. They are already paying some affiliates 35-45% of their profits. Would affiliates be willing to foot the bill on some of these extra costs? I’m pretty sure the answer was no – why should they? The affiliates will just move on to somebody else. It’s an extremely competitve environment.

The bottom line is that most affiliates will vote with their feet. If an affiliate has the smarts to tackle his or her job as a long term mission, they will (in most cases) chose casinos that are upstanding and which provides an excellent service to its players. REMEMBER: IT’S THE PLAYERS’ NEEDS WHICH ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THIS EQUATION. In turn, the affiliate programs will be well funded and properly managed to enable its affiliates to do their job – marketing online gaming in an ethical manner.

So its back to the ol’ “trickle-down effect” self regulating industry – the one we’re all used to.

The discussion ended, and it was nearly time for the traditional Curry and obligatory “Red Light District” stroll…

 

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CAC PART II

No, I’m not a perv…
That evening was spent with my good friends Greedygirl, Simmo!, Gideon, and my friends from Club World Casino eating Curry at the Balti House – one of the best Curry Houses I’ve been to. We go there every year.

From there we made it back the Kraspinoski Hotel, where we saunter off to the our annual obligatory stroll through the Red Light District. What a disappointment. I would say about half of the girls were gone. It’s really a shame since these girls are having to find other venues to do business. Not that I’m a perv or anything, it’s just that the girls in the windows are what make this city unique – it’s a flair and tradition that can’t be found anywhere else on this planet.

We ended up in a Irish Pub and partied until closing time. Which again seemed mighty early relatively speaking.

Voice from the past – CAC 2004 Anyway, that evening a number of us strolled through the narrow streets and over the little bridges that cross the murky canals. The “Red Light” District is something else; very surreal. Women of all colors sizes and shapes patiently wait behind plate glass windows, doing their nails, or performing mini-dances. They smile, wave, and shameless men poke their heads in their doors asking for prices. My wife said “It’s not fair, there are no men on display!” But I explained, how would guys make money doing that? After the first customer, they would have to hang a sign on the door “Come back later.” Oh well, ce la vie.

Tuesday – Day two:

I spoke with the representative of Affiliate Club’s affiliate program by his booth. The first item on the plate concerned the German player who reportedly won €157,000 and had his winnings confiscated because of fraud. (you can read about this here) At the moment this issue is being dealt with by the Malta LGA. I’m hoping there will be some kind of resolution in the very near future. The casino is adamant that the player committed fraud; the player insists he hasn’t done anything wrong.

What is frustrating is that for some reason, the casino (Casino Club) has been hit by a higher than average amount of player fraud. They aren’t making this up; a number of these players were signing up in our forum at Casinomeister, and I was able to detect multiple accounts (these members had more than one account opened up on their computer), and once banned, they have been the most vocal in other people’s forums sucking in others with their deception.

Anyway, the other item on the agenda was the deal with the retroactive terms and conditions for affiliates. The operator was firm that they have the right to implement these to protect their business; I explained that to implement retroactive terms to affiliates was unfair and wasn’t the right thing to do. But he was unmoving on his stance, and said that all affiliates would be treated fairly. We agreed to disagree.

I wandered the conference floor a bit more. It wasn’t sparse, but the activity from the previous conferences just wasn’t there. But after speaking with several affiliate managers, I had the feeling that this didn’t make much difference. Several mentioned that they were still getting new affiliates, and that the conference was quite productive. This was good to hear.

In fact, it was like the old days. The last several years, it was a real effort just to find space to sit dawn and chat or have a meeting. The lobby, cafe, bar, and every table and chair in every corridor was occupied. This year was much more relaxing. It was easy to find space to chill and discuss matters. I found it rather enjoyable, and I found it rather productive as well. There are a number of new Casinomeister Accredited casinos coming on board in the next week or so. Stay tuned to this newsletter.

The traditional beer session commenced at 1530. The first half hour was devoted to marketing which in fact, I don’t have much to say. But the following hour was quite animated with a discussion that seemed to have spilled over from the panel discussion the previous day.

CAP has left a void. Does it need to be filled? Well if so, with what? We have bodies like the APCW which audits programs, we have the Affiliate Guard Dog that keeps track of changes in terms and conditions. We have affiliate communities at GPWA, Casinomeister, and a few others. We have enough conferences. What’s missing? Certification? Don’t need it. As long as there are affiliates who have the right information in order to make wise decisions, certification is a pipe dream.

Perhaps there is room for an organization of sorts, but if it’s going to be meaningful, it’s going to have to offer something unique, be transparent, be run by people who are known to be trustworthy, and if there are fees, they must be reasonable. We’ll see what the future holds.

And with the end of the beer session, the convention was adjourned. Kudos to Marc Lesnick on bring us together once again for a worthy and productive experience.

That evening it was dinner at Le Garage – a posh overpriced restaurant. The decor was nice, but nothing special. The food was very good, and so was the wine thanks to Adrian‘s expertise. I sat with the usual suspects to include Peralis, his wife, and his newborn daughter who barely made a peep. A cute, low maintenence kid – hopefully she’ll stay that way for her parents’ sake.

I also sat next to my buddy Alex Pratt who explained to me a little more about the CAP fiasco and what impact it has on the conferences. An interesting discussion, and I hope that the CAC/ACC situation can be worked out in an amicable way.

Nope, I won’t be at the ACC which is in Amsterdam April 30th to May 3rd. I hope it’ll be an enjoyable experience for those who make it. But one conference in Amsterdam is enough for me.

Headed back the next day – train ride and a completion of the Sopranos third season; what a hell of a series. And then I watched “Fargo” for the umpteenth time…

Voice from the past – CAC 2005
The next day – back on the train heading home – and I began banging out this newsletter. In real time that was days ago – in your time, it was the amount of time it took to read this newsletter. Time is an amazing thing sometimes.

Lastly, I want to thank all those who approached me and expressed their appreciation for what I do – about the newsletter, about the forum and webcast (new show in the works – I promise!). In a nutshell – it’s really just for you my dear reader, really it is. Undeniably so.

17 April 2009

Dear Reader,

Seek and you will find…
Ask and you will receive…

Prophetically yours,

Bryan

 

 

Search and you will find… Casinomeister’s Mission Statement has been updated to include my philosophy of how things should be in the online gaming community. Recent updates include a statement on betting “systems”, “bots”, magic fairy dust and snake oil. Both players and i-Gaming Reps should take a couple minutes out of your busy schedules and peruse this.

 

COMPLAINT AGAINST HEROES CASINO

 

Ask and you’ll receive…Westland Bowl was owed $34,724 from Heroes Casino. They were refusing to pay him on the grounds that he was using a “system”, (which was complete BS), and then stated that he was using an automated program to beat the house (a truck load of BS). Westland Bowl posted about this in our forum in November, but waited until three weeks ago to PAB.

We took this – got in contact with the right people – and he’s being paid in full, and this casino is being shut down. Way to go. High fives all around.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/casino-complaints-non-bonus-issues/28007-heroes-casino-blackjack-issues-slow-pay.html

 

CASINOMEISTER ACCREDITED CASINOS!!!

Bodog – is back!! Powered by RTG software and US friendly.

At Bodog Sportsbook, Casino and Poker Room we offer our players the simplest and most value added bonus program in the industry, featuring the lowest possible rollover requirements. Our longevity in the industry enables us to offer competitive cash bonuses, quick deposits, fast payouts, and professional customer service. Open an account today to take advantage of our current bonus offers: 10% SIGNUP BONUS
NEW PLAYERS!

Earn a 10% cash online betting bonus on your first deposit.
20% REFER-A-FRIEND BONUS. EARN UP TO $100 CASH

Earn up to US$100 for each friend you refer to Bodog!
110% POKER SIGN-UP BONUS

Earn a 10% upfront cash bonus and up to an additional 100% bonus based on your play in your first 30 days.
100% POKER RELOAD BONUS

For a limited time, we are offering existing poker players a 100% match reload bonus.
DOUBLE POINTS BONUS

Double your cash rewards when you earn 2000 or more points in a month

Terms and conditions apply. Please read them.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

And now for the humor……

An oldie, but a goodie…

A girl asks her boyfriend to come over Friday night to meet, and have dinner with her parents. Since this is such a big event, the girl announces to her boyfriend that after dinner, she would like to go out and make love for the first time.

The boy is ecstatic, but he has never had sex before, so he takes a trip to the pharmacist to get some condoms. He tells the pharmacist it’s his first time and the pharmacist helps the boy for about an hour.

He tells the boy everything there is to know about condoms and sex.

At the register, the pharmacist asks the boy how many condoms he’d like to buy, a 3-pack, 10-pack, or Family pack. The boy insists on the family pack because he thinks he will be rather busy, it being his first time and all.

That night, the boy shows up at the girl’s parents house and meets his girlfriend at the door. ‘Oh, I’m so excited for you to meet my parents come on in!’

The boy goes inside and is taken to the dinner table where the girl’s parents are seated. The boy quickly offers to say grace and bows his head.

A minute passes, and the boy is still deep in prayer, with his head down. 10 minutes pass, and still no movement from the boy. Finally, after 20 minutes with his head down, the girlfriend leans over and whispers to the boyfriend, ‘I had no idea you were this religious.’

The boy turns, and whispers back, ‘I had no idea your Father was a pharmacist.’

ha ha ha!

 

WASHINGTON STATE BAN ON INTERNET GAMBLING PRESS RELEASES CONFIRMED

More online gambling companies come forward with news of cease and desist order on PRWeb

With more online gambling companies coming forward with news of a Washington state cease and desist order on industry press releases distributed by state-based PRWeb, it is becoming clear that earlier reports on the ban (see previous InfoPowa reports) were accurate.

The reports are that PRWeb, which offers a distribution service for business press releases, has had to inform online gambling corporate customers that it can no longer accept their material following a cease and desist order from the Gambling Commission of its home state of Washington.

Initially regarded as too extreme a move even for a state with as implacable an opposition to Internet gambling as Washington, it has transpired that editorial staff at PRWeb have been advised by management that “….PRWeb will no longer be publishing releases that promote or link to online gambling or related websites. This shift in editorial has been prompted by legal considerations and brings us in line with the stance that other notable organizations such as Google and Yahoo are currently taking with regard to promotion of online gambling in the U.S.?

A notification to the PokerSource site broadened the explanation, advising that PRWeb had received a Cease and Desist letter from the Washington State Gambling Commission requiring that it immediately halt the distribution of press releases promoting online gambling sites and content.

Unofficial estimates are that up to 5 percent of PRWeb’s business could be affected by the ban; cancelled contracts have been accompanied by offers of a refund, and the new restriction could prove expensive for the third party services provider.

PRWeb’s parent, the Maryland-based Vocus group has been repeatedly approached by InfoPowa for comment on the ban, so far without a response.

Washington state has accrued some notoriety for its hard-line approach to online gambling whilst allowing most forms of land gambling. The state has gone so far as to make gambling over the Internet a Class C felony punishable by measures usually applied to far more serious and personal crimes.

The PRWeb ban, which is being interpreted by industry observers as a threat to the principle of freedom of speech, will affect many of the Internet’s leading gambling companies that used the service to distribute press material.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

30 April 2009

Dear Reader,

May Day, May Day, May Day. Yep tomorrow’s May Day,

For some it’s pay day. For me it’s…May Day.

Curiously yours,

Bryan

Man, what a busy week. I finally got the Webmeister Wire out – Casinomeister’s newsletter for webmasters, affiliates, affiliate managers and any one else who is interested in the world of webmastering. The first edition is here – and you can sign up for this newsletter here. If you have any inkling of getting involved with running your own website – be it online gaming or not, you may want to join.

Which brings Casinomeister to the number of three newsletters available to you my dear reader:
Meister Mail (you’re reading it now)
Meister Blatt (for industry folk)
and now Webmeister Wire is out – published every couple of weeks or so. Depends on what’s going on.

THIS IS SO COOL!

Max and I solve players’ problems on a weekly basis via the Pitch a Bitch service at Casinomeister. It’s free – we ask nothing from players except veracity and patience. Every now and then, players will want to send us a portion of their winnings as a sign of gratitude – which we turn down of course. Instead we direct them to the charity section at Casinomeister, letting them know that there are organizations listed there that could use a helping hand. Sometimes they donate funds…sometimes not. This week was exceptional.

Member joduri had an issue with noiqpoker which was resolved in his favor (to the tune of 18k). Well he donated $1000 of the charity of my choice – I chose March of Dimes for Babies (a charity that my oldest daughter in Alaska is collecting funds for). Take a few moments out and give a few bucks. Would you miss $20 – $30? Skip tonight’s pizzafest and give instead…

http://www.marchforbabies.org/katrinanagisaa

BRAND NEW RTG CASINO – FROM CLUB WORLD!!!

 

The Club World Group is thrilled to announce the launch of its new property, Lucky Red Casino!! This latest addition to Club World�s stable is sure to become another winner for players, with more than 120 of the best casino games online. The finest video poker, table and specialty games, slots and progressives in online gaming from Real Time Gaming are proudly offered at Lucky Red.

Upon opening the Lucky Red Casino�s lobby, you�ll be treated to an entirely new interactive experience. Gone are the clumsy pull-down menus with lists of games. Instead, players can choose how they prefer to view game selections. Opt for a game list, bundled in folders or the slick scrolling mode�it�s your choice! You�ll immediately be impressed with Lucky Red�s innovative new lobby.

Lucky Red Casino brings forth all of the outstanding attributes The Club World Group is known for: Outstanding customer service, deposit options to suit all needs and rapid payouts on withdrawals . Additionally, you�ll surely be impressed with Lucky Red�s generous new player and ongoing bonuses.

The Club World Group�s Club USA is the recipient of the prestigious Casinomeister 2008 Casino of the Year, US-Friendly Award and took honors for Best Customer Services in 2007.

Affiliates interested in Lucky Red Casino, please see the CWC Affiliate website for further information.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=lucky

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS!!

Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

Signup today and get up to 1000 Euros free
1st Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
2nd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
3rd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
4th Deposit – 100% up to �250.00

Use Coupon Code: VORTRAN1000

(If you have already claimed their SUB, you can still qualify for this promotion. E.g. if you’ve made 1 deposit already, you can still claim the bonus for deposit 2, 3 and 4.)

And for more free cash, watch the Live Lounge every Thurs-Sun from 8 – 11pm BST and ask the show host, Ian O, to run a free cash bonus contest. It’s that easy… oh he may say “Name the dead celebrity in the 3d Lobby” or some other simple question… but that’s what makes Buzzluck.com an online supercasino.

Buzzluck… Never Bored

Bodog – is back!! Powered by RTG software and US friendly.

At Bodog Sportsbook, Casino and Poker Room we offer our players the simplest and most value added bonus program in the industry, featuring the lowest possible rollover requirements. Our longevity in the industry enables us to offer competitive cash bonuses, quick deposits, fast payouts, and professional customer service. Open an account today to take advantage of our current bonus offers: 10% SIGNUP BONUS
NEW PLAYERS!

Earn a 10% cash online betting bonus on your first deposit.
20% REFER-A-FRIEND BONUS. EARN UP TO $100 CASH

Earn up to US$100 for each friend you refer to Bodog!
110% POKER SIGN-UP BONUS

Earn a 10% upfront cash bonus and up to an additional 100% bonus based on your play in your first 30 days.
100% POKER RELOAD BONUS

For a limited time, we are offering existing poker players a 100% match reload bonus.
DOUBLE POINTS BONUS

Double your cash rewards when you earn 2000 or more points in a month

Terms and conditions apply. Please read them.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=bodog

Now For The Humor….

One Sunday morning George burst into the living room and said, “Dad! Mom! I have some great news for you! I am getting married to the most beautiful girl in town. She lives a block away and her name is Susan. After dinner, George’s dad took him aside, “Son, I have to talk with you. Look at your mother, George. She and I have been married 30 years, she’s a wonderful wife and mother, but, she has never offered much excitement in the bedroom, so I used to fool around with women a lot.”

“Susan is actually your half sister, and I’m afraid you can’t marry her.” George was brokenhearted.

After eight months he eventually started dating girls again. A year later he came home and very proudly announced, “Diane said yes! We’re getting married in June.” Again his father insisted on another private conversation and broke the sad news. “Diane is your half sister too, George.

“I’m awfully sorry about this.” George was livid! He finally decided to go to his mother with the news his father had shared.

“Dad has done so much harm. I guess I’m never going to get married,” he complained. “Every time I fall in love, Dad tells me the girl is my half sister.”

“Hee hee,” his mother chuckled, shaking her head, “Don’t pay any attention to what he says. He’s not really your father.”

ha ha ha!

 

7 May 2009

Dear Reader,

Busy bees we be.

Busily yours,

Bryan

It’s been an eventful week; major news for players, and for the industry both good and bad. Let’s begin with the bad. Major nightmare for a progressive winner at Joyland casino:

Sylvia P. won $4,188,719.98 playing the Beach Life Jackpot at Joyland � a Playtech powered casino which is now part of the William Hill group. This �win� was publicized as one of the biggest jackpots ever paid out. http://www.joylandcasino.com/en/winners5.php

The sad thing is she only received about half of the winnings.

When she signed up at Joyland, they had a policy of a max payout of 9k per month. Do the math � $4.2 million will take around 39 years to pay out. That�s one hell of a long time. Most state lotteries have payment plans for 20 years � but I�m pretty sure that the state of California will be around for the next 20 years � even 50 years. How do we know that the Internet will be around in 39 years, much less Joyland casino? Personally I think 39 years is absurd and indefensible. I don’t think any player would consider this acceptable.

Note: progressive winnings are normally from a pooled account. In other words, each Playtech casino that participates in the progressive jackpots contributes to this fund. Thus you can have huge wins, and it doesn�t affect the specific casino because it isn�t 100% of their money to begin with. (please � any operators correct me if I am wrong on this).

Anyway, Joyland was in control of these funds and chose to pay the player 9K per month.

According to the player, she was told that the only way to collect her winnings was at 9k a month. If she wanted to collect a larger amount, she would have to play that amount first. She also claims that the VIP manager who was making these deals only contacted her with a Hotmail email address or by phone.

As far as I know, she received nothing in writing from the casino detailing her payment plan. (hotmail email addresses don�t count in my opinion). But perhaps the casino has a copy of their official emails backed up on their server.

She decided to take them up on their offer to collect only $2,300, 000.00 plus bonus which was $61,000.00 – a total of $2,361,000.

The dilemma: William Hill purchased Joyland a few months ago. The owners are no longer a part of the company as far as I know. I spoke with the CEO of William Hill online and he was as perplexed as I was, but he stated that William Hill considers that this player accepted the terms and conditions of 9k per month, had an offer to accept a lump sum payment, and took it. Even though William Hill purchased the casino, it purchased the assets and not the debt.

I understand that she made this agreement � but under what conditions or how this �agreement� was handled remains unclear.

I have been in touch with Playtech as well � I�m unsure what their stance is concerning the ex-operators of Joyland.

This situation leaves us several questions: one pressing question is “What happened to the rest of the winnings?” Another is “What is Playtech’s policy on progressive jackpot wins? Are they paid out straight from a pooled source to the player, or are they given to the casino to do as the casino deems fair and proper.

In my opinion, this player was not treated fairly. 9k a month for $4.3 million dollars? C’mon! You might as well add “You have to wear a blue hat on Fridays,” to the terms and conditions because it makes just as much sense.

Presently, we’re awaiting a statement from William Hill that addresses this situation.

I’m also querying all of the casinos listed in our Accredited Section on how progressive wins are handled.

Discussion thread is here.

CONTENT THIEF GETS BUSTED!

 

Win big busted out a content thief who ripped off Gamesandcasino.com and poker.com here. This “Evil Webmaster” will be the first inducted to the “Evil Webmasters” section of our Rogue Pit. Content thievery is serious stuff – it’s not only unethical but violates international copyright laws.

Most of these webmasters are either too lazy to write their own content, or they live in a country where this is condoned and they think nothing of it. How to counter this? Rogue ’em and list the affiliate programs that the guy is working with. As soon as the affiliate managers realize that their affiliate is ripping off others’ content, I’m sure they’ll shut down his account.

Red-bet.com is an affiliate of the following properties:
888.com
PokerRoomSchool
CanBet
VictorChandler

If you’re an affiliate and have been victimized by one of these dickweed webmasters, post your findings in the Webmaster’s Section of our forum and we’ll get on it.

 

BRAND NEW RTG CASINO – FROM CLUB WORLD!!!

The Club World Group is thrilled to announce the launch of its new property, Lucky Red Casino!! This latest addition to Club World�s stable is sure to become another winner for players, with more than 120 of the best casino games online. The finest video poker, table and specialty games, slots and progressives in online gaming from Real Time Gaming are proudly offered at Lucky Red.

Upon opening the Lucky Red Casino�s lobby, you�ll be treated to an entirely new interactive experience. Gone are the clumsy pull-down menus with lists of games. Instead, players can choose how they prefer to view game selections. Opt for a game list, bundled in folders or the slick scrolling mode�it�s your choice! You�ll immediately be impressed with Lucky Red�s innovative new lobby.

Lucky Red Casino brings forth all of the outstanding attributes The Club World Group is known for: Outstanding customer service, deposit options to suit all needs and rapid payouts on withdrawals . Additionally, you�ll surely be impressed with Lucky Red�s generous new player and ongoing bonuses.

The Club World Group�s Club USA is the recipient of the prestigious Casinomeister 2008 Casino of the Year, US-Friendly Award and took honors for Best Customer Services in 2007.

Affiliates interested in Lucky Red Casino, please see the CWC Affiliate website for further information.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=lucky

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS!!

Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

Signup today and get up to 1000 Euros free
1st Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
2nd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
3rd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
4th Deposit – 100% up to �250.00

Use Coupon Code: VORTRAN1000

(If you have already claimed their SUB, you can still qualify for this promotion. E.g. if you’ve made 1 deposit already, you can still claim the bonus for deposit 2, 3 and 4.)

And for more free cash, watch the Live Lounge every Thurs-Sun from 8 – 11pm BST and ask the show host, Ian O, to run a free cash bonus contest. It’s that easy… oh he may say “Name the dead celebrity in the 3d Lobby” or some other simple question… but that’s what makes Buzzluck.com an online supercasino.

Buzzluck… Never Bored

Terms and Conditions: https://www.buzzluck.com/promotions/terms/cm1000.html

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=buzz

And Now For The Humor……

 

A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The audience would be different each week, so the magician allowed himself to do the same tricks over and over again.

There was only one problem: The captain’s parrot saw the shows every week and began to understand what the magician did in every trick. Once he understood that, he started shouting in the middle of the show:

“Look, it’s not the same hat!” “Look, he’s hiding the flowers under the table!” “Hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades?”

The magician was furious but couldn’t do anything, it was the captain’s parrot after all.

One day the ship had an accident and sank. The magician found himself on a piece of wood, in the middle of the ocean, and of course the parrot was by his side. They stared at each other with hate, but did not utter a word.

This went on for several days. After a week the parrot finally said: “Okay, I give up. What’d you do with the boat?”

ha ha ha!

 

DETAILS OF FRANK ONLINE GAMBLING BILL RELEASED

New title but similar precautions

The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Congressman Barney Frank released details of his new legislative proposal aimed at legalising online gambling in the United States Wednesday ahead of a delayed press conference re-scheduled to late afternoon Washington time.

Titled the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection & Enforcement Act the proposal seeks to overturn the controversial and much villified Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) passed in 2006, which outlawed financial transactions with online gambling companies and has caused billions in damages to European companies forced to withdraw from the US market.

The bill seeks to issue licenses to online gambling operators, but only those who are in good financial and legal standing and of good character, honesty and integrity, and whose prior activities, reputation, habits and associations do not pose a threat to the public interest or to the effective regulation and control of of the licensed activities.

Pre-licensing checks are likely to be stringent, and would be operators will have to demonstrate that they possess the requisite expertise to professionally manage Internet gambling operations. There will be an insistence on operators having the technology and systems necessary to effectively combat money laundering and fraud, exclude underage and problem gamblers, meet tax requirements and comply with US federal and state laws.

Applications are open to all entities, who will have to supply detailed financial records and personal details of directors in order that credit and criminal histories can be checked.

The nature and depth of background checks will be decided by the Secretary for the Treasury, who will be charged with the approval and monitoring of licensees and may call on the US Attorney General for enforcement and compliance issues.

Licensing terms will be for five years, renewable conditional on good conduct and efficiency, and the Secretary for the Treasury will have authority to terminate the licenses at any time if a licensee does not comply with requirements. Terms of imprisonment of up to five years are provided for under the Act.

Congressman Frank later told reporters that he intends to move the bill before the House’s August break, but that he will be introducing special legislation titled the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act of 2009 aimed at delaying for a year the implementation of the highly controversial and much delayed regulations supporting the UIGEA, which were rushed through in the twilight months of the Bush administration and are due to finally go into effect on 1st December.

This will allow the new Democrat controlled Congress to decide a national policy.

Representative McDermott is also re-introducing a companion bill aimed at ensuring that individual and corporate taxes owed on regulated Internet gambling activities are collected.

There are already rumblings from Republican politicians like Spencer Bachus, and from national sports leagues and conservative Christian groups, which indicate that the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection & Enforcement Act is unlikely to enjoy a trouble-free passage.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

14 May 2009

Dear Reader,

More updates, new sections, and a new casino to peruse.

Anticipatingly yours,

Bryan

For those of you who have been following the issue of SylviaP and her conditional Jackpot win of $4.3 million (she agreed to receive about half after being offered a 39 year payment plan), not much has changed. William Hill’s spokesperson stated that since this occurred before they purchased Joyland’s assets, it was out of their hands. And most players are still wondering what happened to Sylvia’s forfeited winnings.

For your information, there are a number of Playtech powered casinos that have the same withdrawal conditions as Joyland; that if you win a progressive, the payment plan will be x amount of dollars per month. These casinos are:
32Vegas
Goldenpalace
WilliamHillcasino
playgate
carnavalcasino.com
eurogrand
casinotropez
zodiacbingo
majesticcomet.com
grandplaycasino.com
rubybingo.com
bettercasino

Bettercasino was an accredited casino, but it was removed from the accredited list until this term is corrected. It is a blatantly unfair term that ought to be deleted. Progressive payouts should be exempt from monthly payment plans. By the way, both Betfred and Bet365 (Accredited Playtech casinos) have assured us that this would have never happened with any of their players. That’s the way it ought to be.

Too bad Sylvia wasn’t playing “Beach Life” at Betfred – or any of the Playtech casinos list at Casinomeister. She’d be a little bit richer.

Discussion thread is still going on here.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/31033-stipulations-playtech-progressive-win.html

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

Casinomeister’s Webcast – 8 May 2009.

Some of you have not checked out the newest Casinomeister webcast at YouTube. If not – why not? Week’s topics: problems with Joyland Casino’s progressive win…and Rogue Webmaster section announcement. You can check this out here here.

Comments so far:
Good one B! Maxd
Cool Webcast Bryan! Robwin
Great finale to this webcast…! Jetset
That was superb. Funny, entertaining and informative. The best yet in my humble opinion… Rusty
Dude, your sense of humor is AWESOME… Sucks to be that French Canadian, though… gypsybandito

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

BRAND NEW ACCREDITED RTG CASINO!!!

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Players will be permitted to make 5 consecutive initial deposits with Grande Vegas Casino and we will match each and every one of them! This 5 Tier depositing system is exclusive to Grande Vegas Casino so be sure to take advantage of it.

You can sign up here

Any questions, or probs – be sure to PM their rep Melanie here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=gvegas

 

FIGHT ONLINE CASINO SPAM UPDATE!

Tired of crap spam that fills up your inbox every day? Well now you can fight back. Since most spam comes from misguided affiliates who think there is nothing wrong with acting like an a-hole, fight back by reporting them to their affiliate managers. Most affiliate programs have strict policies forbidding spam mails. Forward these spams to their managers and it’s a good chance that their accounts will be shut down. The page has been updated to include most major affiliate programs which includes just about every casino imaginable. You can check this out here.

https://www.casinomeister.com/online_casino_spam.php

 

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS!!

Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

Signup today and get up to 1000 Euros free
1st Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
2nd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
3rd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
4th Deposit – 100% up to �250.00

Use Coupon Code: VORTRAN1000

(If you have already claimed their SUB, you can still qualify for this promotion. E.g. if you’ve made 1 deposit already, you can still claim the bonus for deposit 2, 3 and 4.)

And for more free cash, watch the Live Lounge every Thurs-Sun from 8 – 11pm BST and ask the show host, Ian O, to run a free cash bonus contest. It’s that easy… oh he may say “Name the dead celebrity in the 3d Lobby” or some other simple question… but that’s what makes Buzzluck.com an online supercasino.

Buzzluck… Never Bored

Terms and Conditions: https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=buzz

And now for the humor……

A drunk staggers into a bar demanding a beer. The bartender informed him that he was not allowed to serve alcohol to drunken patrons.

After a few harsh words, the bartender suggested to the drunk to prove he wasn’t drunk by doing twenty push-ups on the floor.

As he was doing the push-ups, another drunk staggers into the bar and sees this guy on the floor doing push-ups.

He looks at him for a minute and then kicks him in the ribs saying, “Fella, I think your girl friend has gone home.”

ha ha ha!

 

28 May 2009

Dear Reader,

What happened to the freaking sun? It’s cloudy, drizzly; as if the heavens knew I have weeds to pull. Maybe some other time. Guess I’ll do something else…like finish this sentence.

Quizzically yours,

Bryan

Well, it’s that time of year again. I’m heading off to the beach for a couple of weeks, and I’m looking forward to some peace. It’s been a turbulent week in the forum – mainly with a serious issue between a player whose winnings were negated and an Accredited Casino which has a stellar reputation. The main focus of the dilemma was three major issues: the casino’s terms and conditions, the fairness of these terms, and the responsibility of players to follow the terms. If you haven’t read the thread yet and have a long lunch break (on nothing to do for the next hour or two), you can check it out here.

It ought to be a mandatory read for casino operators – some very useful information there.

Anyway, after careful thought, Spin Palace eventually paid the player his winnings – even though this player had broken the casino’s terms and conditions. It was an act of good faith since the term was considered unfair by most people (including myself), and it has been modified to make more sense.

This has prompted me to revisit the terms and conditions of the Accredited Casinos to ensure that certain things are happening/not happening. My main concern is subjective language that can be misinterpreted by both casino manager and player. Bonus abuse, spirit of the bonus, etc.; these terms are going to be examined, and I’ll be giving the casino operators suggestions and advice on how to improve or disregard these terms. Watch this space for more.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/casino-complaints-bonus-issues/31264-palace-group-rules-shenanigans.html

 

BRAND NEW ACCREDITED RTG CASINO!!!

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You can sign up here

US welcome.

Any questions, or probs – be sure to PM their rep Melanie here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=gvegas

 

 

FIGHT ONLINE CASINO SPAM UPDATE!

Tired of crap spam that fills up your inbox every day? Well now you can fight back. Since most spam comes from misguided affiliates who think there is nothing wrong with acting like an a-hole, fight back by reporting them to their affiliate managers. Most affiliate programs have strict policies forbidding spam mails. Forward these spams to their managers and it’s a good chance that their accounts will be shut down. The page has been updated to include most major affiliate programs which includes just about every casino imaginable. You can check this out here.

https://www.casinomeister.com/online_casino_spam.php

 

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS!!

Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

Signup today and get up to 1000 Euros free
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2nd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
3rd Deposit – 100% up to �250.00
4th Deposit – 100% up to �250.00

Use Coupon Code: VORTRAN1000

(If you have already claimed their SUB, you can still qualify for this promotion. E.g. if you’ve made 1 deposit already, you can still claim the bonus for deposit 2, 3 and 4.)

And for more free cash, watch the Live Lounge every Thurs-Sun from 8 – 11pm BST and ask the show host, Ian O, to run a free cash bonus contest. It’s that easy… oh he may say “Name the dead celebrity in the 3d Lobby” or some other simple question… but that’s what makes Buzzluck.com an online supercasino.

Buzzluck… Never Bored

Terms and Conditions: https://www.buzzluck.com/promotions/terms/cm1000.html

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=buzz

 

And now for the humor……

Some years ago, Paddy married an attractive woman, Maggie, half his age, in a small coastal Irish community.

After several months, Maggie complained that she had never climaxed during sex and according to her Grandmother all Irish women are entitled to a climax once in a while.

So, to resolve the problem, they went to see the Veterinarian since there was no trustworthy doctor anywhere in the village. The Vet didn’t have a clue, but he did recall how, during the hot summer, his mother and father would fan a cow that was having difficulty breeding with a big towel. This would cool her down and make her relax.

So the Vet told them to hire a strong, virile young man to wave a big towel over them while they were having sex.

This, the Vet said, would cause the young wife to cool down, relax, then climax. So the couple hired a strong young man from Dublin to wave that big towel over them as the Vet suggested.

After many efforts, Maggie still had not climaxed so they went back to the Vet. The Vet said for her to change partners and let the young man have sex with her while Paddy waved the big towel.

They tried it that night and Maggie went into wild, screaming, ear-splitting climaxes, one right after the other for about two and a half hours.

When it was over, Paddy looked down at the exhausted young man and in a boasting voice said: “And that, me son, is how ya waves a fokin’ towel!”

ha ha ha!

23 June 2009

Dear Reader,

I’m back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again.

Lyrically yours,

Bryan

Well, I’m back. And the first thing on my agenda is implementing the new and improved standards for Casinomeister Accredited Casinos. The ones that are presently posted are outdated and some are just too vague. By strengthening the standards, it ensures the player and webmaster community that they will be getting a fair deal when patronizing the casinos listed at Casinomeister. The new standards have been forwarded to the casino operators, and I am pleased to report that there is nary an issue – so we are on the right track. These new standards will be posted by the end of this week or early next week to allow time for casino operators to conform and/or update their sites. We also have a couple of new casinos waiting in the wings to come on board as well. I’m happy to say that the new standards are not a problem for them either.

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New Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns it full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

Buzzluck Casino has just passed the 60 day mark and is now fully Accredited. Woo-hoo!

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TopGame – what a mess. This was one of the first things I was confronted with upon my return. Do you want to read about a bumbling unprofessional software vendor? Chat supervisors on crack, software on ludes, and a Software Representative possibly doing bong hits? It’s all here.

That whole episode made me want to jump on a plane and go back…

WHERE WAS THE MEISTER?

..in the Seychelles. If you’re a bit unfamiliar with the Seychelles, don’t feel bad. I didn’t know much about them until a few weeks ago when we booked our family vacation. It’s really a fascinating place, and if you haven’t been there and like traveling, let me convince you to go.

The Seychelles is an archipelago nation located in the Indian Ocean just north east of Madagascar. There are over 115 islands which are the oldest granite islands in the world. Deserted with no indigenous people, they were first discovered by Arab explorers possibly during the 12th century – no one really lived there until the French moved in and started up some plantations in the 18th century. African slaves were brought in – working on these farms – and then the Brits came. France and Britain were at war (Napoleonic Wars) and the French governor surrendered to the Brits seven times. Each time the British warships entered port, the governor would have the French flag lowered. When the Brits left, he’d raise the French flag again. Finally, the Brits came in said “Enough was enough” and occupied the main islands. There were no massacres, no bloodletting, no violence at all.

Then there was a boom in the population. Seriously, what else are you going to do while hanging out in a tropical paradise – increase the population, that’s what.

The first airport wasn’t built until 1973. Before then, the only access to these islands was by sea. They gained independence from the UK in 1976 and in the following years became a socialist state. Over the past decade or so, it became much more democratic and after a few days there, you could tell.

For one thing, everyone seems to have a job. You’ll see five guys working along side the road – one guy digging and four others watching. In the restaurants, there would be plenty of waitresses – only most would be in the back chit-chatting. Unemployment is around 2-3%. The population is mostly Creole, African, and some Indian/Pakistani, and not once did I sense any racism or inequality of any kind. The people were very friendly and sincere. Some of us who travel frequently are accustomed to being harassed on beaches or in markets by vendors who seem to resent foreigners, but in the Seychelles – it just doesn’t seem to happen. The Seychellois are pretty genuine people – they mean what they say and are generally good natured. This place is relatively untouched by bad attitudes.

You like fish? If so, the Seychelles is the place to go. I don’t think I ate this much fish since I was a commercial fisherman up in Alaska. Snorkeling? This was some of the best Snorkeling we’ve done. Coral reefs, stingrays, lion fish (very dangerous), moray eels, and a dazzling display of tropical fish. I even chased a docile reef shark four meters deep (which really impressed my eleven-year-old daughter). I am now officially “cool”.

Everyone needs breaks like these now and then; places where one can just forget about the problems back home. Global politics, wars and strife are but a vicarious concept in the Seychelles. It’s no use discussing these things because they don’t really matter there. No Internet (my choice), no cell phone, no CNN – that’s the way to get back in touch with the real world.

Photographic proof here.

Summer reading so far: Great Short Works of Mark Twain – specifically “The Private History of a Campaign that Failed” and “The Mysterious Stranger”. These are must reads for the summer months.
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You can sign up here

US welcome.

Any questions, or probs – be sure to PM their rep Melanie here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=gvegas

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS!!

Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

Signup today and get up to 1000 Euros free
1st Deposit – 100% up to ?250.00
2nd Deposit – 100% up to ?250.00
3rd Deposit – 100% up to ?250.00
4th Deposit – 100% up to ?250.00

Use Coupon Code: VORTRAN1000

(If you have already claimed their SUB, you can still qualify for this promotion. E.g. if you’ve made 1 deposit already, you can still claim the bonus for deposit 2, 3 and 4.)

And for more free cash, watch the Live Lounge every Thurs-Sun from 8 – 11pm BST and ask the show host, Ian O, to run a free cash bonus contest. It’s that easy… oh he may say “Name the dead celebrity in the 3d Lobby” or some other simple question… but that’s what makes Buzzluck.com an online supercasino.

Buzzluck… Never Bored

And now for the humor……

A blind man walks into a store with his seeing eye dog. All of a sudden, he picks up the leash and begins swinging the dog over his head. The manager runs up to the man and asks, “What are you doing?!!” The blind man replies, “Just looking around.”

ha ha ha

 

29 June 2009

Dear Reader,

Two quick announcements and I’ll let you go on your merry way.

Simply yours,

Bryan

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST KICKS OFF!!!

THE BIER IS FLOWING IN CASINOMEISTERLAND!!!

Win $50 worth of Bavarian brewed beer – that’s right – $50 worth of BEER delivered to your door (or $50 bucks in cash – whatever you prefer).

It’s easy!! It’s FUN!! With this many exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!! This week’s contest is posted here!!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/31983-bierfest-29-june-2009-a.html

 

BUZZLUCK T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST!!

WIN €250!!!

You are invited to design a t-shirt for Buzzluck Casino using the Buzzluck.com logo and tagline “Never Bored.”

Entries will end July 6 and then the voting will begin and run until 13 July.

The winner will get €250.00 in their buzzluck account in cash, no WR, fully withdrawable. The runner-up will receive €100.00, same deal.

Anyone who comes through Casinomeister and registers and deposits at least €50.00 with the promocode CMTSHIRT gets the usual CM deal (100% deposits bonuses) and a free t-shirt once the winner is declared and the shirts made. It will be a limited edition, so act fast once the promo starts–which will be midnight tonight for the CMTSHIRT code–but you can start posting t-shirt designs now.

POST YOUR ENTRY HERE!!

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=buzz

Bonus Offers Here!

 

And Now For The Humor……

The spoon:

A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in an organization.

Last week, we took some friends to a new restaurant, ‘Steve’s Place,’ and noticed that the waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket.

It seemed a little strange. When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I observed that he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket.

Then I looked around and saw that all the staff had spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve our soup I inquired, ‘Why the spoon?’

‘Well, ‘he explained, ‘the restaurant’s owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour.

If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15 man-hours per shift.’

As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he replaced it with his spare. ‘I’ll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now.’ I was impressed.

I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the waiter’s fly.

Looking around, I saw that all of the waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So, before he walked off, I asked the waiter, ‘Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?’

‘Oh, certainly!’ Then he lowered his voice. ‘Not everyone is so observant. That consulting firm I mentioned also learned that we can save time in the restroom.

By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the restroom by 76.39%.

I asked quietly, ‘After you get it out, how do you put it back?’

‘Well,’ he whispered, ‘I don’t know about the others, but I use the spoon.’

ha ha ha!

3 July 2009

Dear Reader,

Yes, summer is in full gear – and my garden is calling me.

Calling me “killer of weeds”…

Horticulturally yours,

Bryan

Busy bees we be. Since I’ve been back from holiday, I’ve been spending most of my time revamping the Accredited Casinos page. Before I left, we had a discussion in the forum about expanding the criteria and standards of the Accredited Casinos – we implemented suggestions from players, affiliates, and operators as well. I’ve also included more information about each casino property – information I hope you’ll find useful.

There is also a column that includes current promotions for most of the site – this is courtesy of the affCAFF system. It’s a free tool for webmasters (if you’re an affiliate, please check it out). For operators, contact Affcaff’s staff here to get your promos listed on the page.

---

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

---

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!! What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Monday’s contest was an easy one – you were to identify this song and it’s performer. 29june2009.mp3 In a matter of hours, it was solved by tduterte. Too bad he lives in the Philippines – no beer to be sent there SO HE WON $50 INSTEAD!!! How great is that?

The answer was CC rider by Leadbelly.

So – are you ready for today’s contest???

Identify the band and song from the following: 3july2009.mp3. Post your answers here.

The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/32126-bierfest-3-july-2009-a.html

 

And now for the humor……

A young monk arrives at the monastery. He is assigned to helping the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by hand.

He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from copies, not from the original manuscript. So, the new monk goes to the head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up! In fact, that error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies.

The head monk, says, “We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my son.”

He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked vault that hasn’t been opened for hundreds of years. Hours go by and nobody sees the old abbot.

So, the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him. He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing.

“We missed the R!
We missed the R!
We missed the R!”

His forehead is all bloody and bruised and he is crying uncontrollably. The young monk asks the old abbot, “What’s wrong, father?” With A choking voice, the old abbot replies, “The word was.. CELEBRATE”

ha ha ha

POSITIVE SIGNS ON U.S. LEGALISATION FOR ONLINE GAMBLING

These are the folks in the know….

Two positive but unrelated opinions on the legalisation of online gambling in the United States were given this week, adding credibility to a growing optimism that this year will see the United States joining other progressive Western nations in permitting controlled and regulated betting over the Internet.

The first opinion comes from the highly respected business analysts at investment bankers Goldman Sachs, who have issued a note to investors predicting that the Americans will legalise and regulate the online gambling industry, woth up to $12 billion a year according to a report from The Examiner.com.

The note covers the latest attempt by Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, to introduce legislation that recognises the rights of individual states in legalising and regulating carefully vetted online gambling providers. If passed (see previous InfoPowa reports) this bill would largely negate the controversial Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which has cost the industry billions.

Goldman Sachs advises investors “We believe it is logical to assume that the US market will eventually regulate, given the potential implications for US tax take, if nothing else.”

?Based on a simple ?grossing up? of PartyGaming?s rake relative to its 9 percent market share, the US poker market alone was worth $1.5 billion in 2008,? the report noted.

?Were the market to be legalised, we believe that the size of the revenue opportunity could increase materially,? it continued. ?Based on an assumption of 30 percent penetration of offline poker players and $300 gross gaming revenue (GGR) per player, we estimate that a legal poker market could be worth $3 billion a year.?

?Were GGR to increase to 45 percent and GGR per player rise to $400, the size of the poker market alone could be worth $6 billion. We also estimate that the casino market could expand to a similar scale, based on various offline penetration assumptions.?

But US players will have to be patient, it appears. There is a strong likelihood that online poker may be legalised in a number of states before the federal government makes any changes to the current laws, the analysts opined, noting that Florida and California in particular could be possible early adapters. And the Franks legislative proposals to liberate the US online gambling market have been delayed until September due to pressure of other work in Congress, and may not be politically debated until the new Congress.

?The momentum at state level, where widening state budget deficits are ratcheting up financial pressures, is clearly building,? the report pointed out. ?Indeed, if California and Florida move forward with legislation to legalise online poker, this could prove the catalyst for other states to follow suit?.

The second perspective came from the highly experienced Canadian online gambling executive Mitch Garber, who until recently headed up Party Gaming and is now managing the new online gambling division of Harrah’s Entertainment.

In an interview with EGR Garber was bullish about the future of the online gambling industry in Northern America, opining that the egaming scene would be dominated by ?a few strong, global operators? where Americans would be free to gamble online legally.

?The future of online gaming is going to be not dissimilar from the current situation with land-based gambling,” Garber predicted. “There will be a few, very strong global operators that dominate, and obviously it is Harrah?s strategy to be one of those leading global operators, and to leverage our brands and the expertise of the people that I?m bringing on board to see that that happens.

?Caesar?s, Harrah?s and the World Series of Poker are all strong brands and part of our strategy is to leverage those. Caesar?s, Harrah?s and the WSOP are the most powerful brands globally, and even if you don?t see them in Europe they are still strong and we will use them online.?

Garber emphasised that Harrah?s is not yet a global business. ?The idea is that ultimately Harrah?s will be a global business,? the executive explained. ?Today it is not yet a really global business because online gaming is an activity not yet legal in the US, which is the biggest internet market in the world, but the UK and the rest of the EU and the positions they have taken are creating a positive market for opportunity, and we are exploring those opportunities.?

Commenting on US regulation, Garber said: ?I?m very confident that legislators will see that this is an industry that can be properly regulated, and that the technology exists to alleviate concerns about money laundering or age verification.

“It boils down to the activity being properly regulated and properly taxed. Gaming is an important revenue source in the USA and interactive gaming could be an important extension of that.?

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

 

10 July 2009

Dear Reader,

Roses are red,
violets are blue,
most poems rhyme,
but this one doesn’t.

Oddly yours,

Bryan

Where did the week go? I hope this isn’t a sign that the summer will be over before we know it – or of aging (me). All I know is that it went quickly. Time files when you’re having fun, yes?

Well we ARE having fun – it’s the peak of the Bierfest in Casinomeisterland. That’s right FREE BEER for those of you willing to join us in jovial jocularities. Scroll down for this weekend’s contest where you can win BEER (or $50 – your choice).

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Casinomeister’s Guide for Online Gamblers has been posted. This is derived from the old Accredited Casino section and slightly revamped. If you haven’t checked this out for a while, it may behoove you to do so. Same with Spot the Rogue. It’s always good to deal with a refresher now and then.

---

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

Congrats Lucky Red Casino!! They have just passed the 60 day mark and are now fully Accredited. Woo-hoo!

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=lucky

 

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!

What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Last week’s contest was an easy one – you were to identify this song and it’s performer. 3july2009.mp3 In a matter of hours, it was solved by benroles who opted for the CASH!!! How great is that?

The answer was Change by Oingo Boingo.

So – are you ready for today’s contest???

Identify the band and song from the following: 10july2009.mp3. Post your answers here.

The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

 

 

NEDPLAY – BAPTISM BY FIRE – EXCLUSIVE PROMO!!!

Nedplay has just arrived at Casinomeister with a £€$10 No Deposit Bonus!!Casinomeister members only!!!

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Terms and Conditions apply – please read them.

English, Dutch, or German – take your pick. Based in the Netherlands and powered by Microgaming – they’ve just had a jackpot winner of (Martin G.) from the Netherlands win the LotsaLoot Progressive Jackpot of � 33.424,87 placing a � 2,50 bet. The player won the jackpot when the 5 LotsaLoot symbols appeared on the 25th Payline at 7/5/2009 11:02 PM (GMT)
Good going Martin!!!

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About Nedplay Online Casino Nedplay Online Casino is part of the Floryntia Play Group NV, based in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Nedplay offers players a Flash Casino and a Download Casino offering its players over than 400 games to choose from. Nedplay Online Casino is available in English and Dutch. The payout percentages of Nedplay Online Casino are reviewed by independent auditors on a monthly basis and are over 95% in 2009.

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their Casino Manager located here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=nedplay

And now for the humor……

An elderly man was headed home in his car one evening, swerving and weaving on the road, when he was stopped by a policeman. “Have you been drinking tonight, sir?” the policeman asked

“Well, I may have had a pint or two.” The man replied, smiling. “Why do you ask?”

“Sir, your wife fell out of the car about a mile back.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” the man exclaimed. “I thought I’d gone deaf!”

ha ha ha

 

IT’S ALL DOWN TO THE JUDGES NOW

iMEGA presents its case to a US appeal court

This week saw oral arguments being presented by both the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association and the US Department of Justice on the constitutionality and other legal arguments surrounding the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Three judges in the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals sat in Philadelphia on July 7 as legal representatives from both sides argued their cases.

Early reports suggest that the three judges appeared to be focused on the question of where betting takes place, leaning toward the physical presence of the gambler, which could militate against a favourable ruling for iMEGA. However, nothing conclusive has so far emerged, and the judges’ decision is still awaited.

A more detailed report on the proceedings can be found at: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202432069997

Law professor Stephen A. Saltzburg of George Washington University, argued for the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, supported by Attorney Eric M. Bernstein of Warren, N.J., who urged the judges to hold the statute violates the First Amendment and privacy rights of gamblers.

The US Justice Department was represented by attorney Nicholas J. Bagley.

Forum discussion here.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

16 July 2009

Dear Reader,

Summer is in full swing – and it’s a great time to spot the Space Shuttle or International Space Station as it passes overhead. Don’t know where to look? Check out http://n2yo.com/ and find them (amongst other manmade objects) in your night sky.

Hoveringly yours,

Bryan

We’re moving like wildfire this week – lot’s of stuff happening – everything but a new video. <insert sad face here>. But I promise you – highly informative jovial jocularities are on their way and comin’ at’cha at the beginning of next week. So be cool and stay tuned.

---

Thread Spotting
Recent threads you may want to check out.

Gambling addiction and casino responsibility
A must read for everyone.

MY Proof that OnLine Casino’s Don’t Cheat
Hmmm…

Buzzluck T-Shirt Contest – VOTE NOW!! The winner gets €250.00 in their Buzzluck account!! Check out the submitted T-shirt designs (by our members) and VOTE!!

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!

What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Last week’s contest was an easy one – you were to identify this song and it’s performer. 3july2009.mp3 In a matter of hours, it was solved by tommouk who opted for the BEER!!! BEER IS ON ITS WAY!!

The answer was Crawlspace by the Beastie Boys.

So – are you ready for today’s contest???

Identify the movie and scene (who is blowing the horn?) from the following: 16july2009.mp3. Post your answers here.

The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/32395-bierfest-16-july-2009-a.html

 

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

Several casinos have joined the “Baptism by Fire” section this week. Check them out here:

NEDPLAY -EXCLUSIVE PROMO!!!

Nedplay has just arrived at Casinomeister with a £€$10 No Deposit Bonus!! Casinomeister members only!!!

Play Now!

Terms and Conditions apply – please read them.

English, Dutch, or German – take your pick. Based in the Netherlands and powered by Microgaming – they’ve just had a jackpot winner of (Martin G.) from the Netherlands win the LotsaLoot Progressive Jackpot of � 33.424,87 placing a � 2,50 bet. The player won the jackpot when the 5 LotsaLoot symbols appeared on the 25th Payline at 7/5/2009 11:02 PM (GMT)
Good going Martin!!!

---

About Nedplay Online Casino Nedplay Online Casino is part of the Floryntia Play Group NV, based in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Nedplay offers players a Flash Casino and a Download Casino offering its players over than 400 games to choose from. Nedplay Online Casino is available in English and Dutch. The payout percentages of Nedplay Online Casino are reviewed by independent auditors on a monthly basis and are over 95% in 2009.

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their Casino Manager located here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=nedplay

And now for the humor……

A man is waiting for wife to give birth. The doctor comes in and informs the dad that his son was born without torso, arms or legs. The son is just a head!

But the father loves his son and raises him as well as he can, with love and compassion. After 21 years, the son is old enough for his first drink. Dad takes him to the bar and tearfully tells the son he is proud of him.

Dad orders up the biggest, strongest drink for his boy. With all the bar patrons looking on curiously and the bartender shaking his head in disbelief, the boy takes his first sip of alcohol. Swoooop! A torso pops out!

The bar is dead silent; then bursts into a whoop of joy. The father, shocked, begs his son to drink again. The patrons chant “Take another drink!”

The bartender still shakes his head in dismay. Swoooop! Two arms pops out. The bar goes wild, but the bartender is clearly disapproving.

The father, crying and wailing, begs his son to drink again. The patrons chant “Take another drink!” The bartender ignores the whole affair.

By now the boy is getting tipsy, and with his new hands he reaches down, grabs his drink and guzzles the last of it. Swoooop! Two legs pop out. The bar is in chaos. The father falls to his knees and tearfully thanks God.

The boy stands up on his new legs and stumbles to the left… then to the right… right through the front door, into the street, where a truck runs over him and kills him instantly. The bar falls silent.

The father moans in grief.

The bartender sighs and says,

“That boy should have quit while he was a head.”

ha ha ha

 

24 July 2009

Dear Reader,

It’s that time of the week again…yowsa!

Happily yours,

Bryan

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I promised you a new video for this week – but it’s been pretty crazy in Casinomeisterland. We’re tackling a few new projects that are in the midst of being completed. One project which should be finished by early next week is a “no-can-do” list of casinos that have no interest in solving player issues, or are just plain unresponsive to player complaints. Max and I won’t waste our time with these guys but we will point you into the right direction to get your problem solved, if you have one of course.

New thingy in the forum: now when you “Pitch a Bitch” an icon will appear under your user name that indicates whether the casino was accredited, non-accredited, rogue, and whether it was successful or not. Not only does this help me and Max to track these better, it gives everyone a reality check on PABs, and it’s kind of an interesting thing to do. You can check out the announcement thread and discussion here

---

Thread Spotting
Recent threads you may want to check out.

Heads up Casino Cubed
Yes! Baptism by fire in action! This is how new casinos will roll with the punches and try to improve their services…

Guess Who’s Cashout Terms Include a 15X WR On All Deposits?
Is this reasonable? We know about businesses protecting themselves from money launderers. But 15%? C’mon, get real.

Casino.com/Mansion casino withdraw prob… Simmo!, our secret shopper critiques Casino.com. Is it pass or fail?

 

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!

What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Last week’s contest was an easy one – you were to identify the movie and scene (who is blowing the horn?) from the following: 16july2009.mp3. In a matter of hours, it was solved by pevangel who opted for the $$$!!!

The answer: Marion Crane honking her horn outside the Bate’s Motel in Psycho. Fantastic movie…worth revisiting.

So – are you ready for today’s contest???

Identify the movie and scene (what is happening) from the following: 24july2009.mp3. Post your answers here.

The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/32529-bierfest-24-july-2009-a.html

 

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

Several casinos have joined the “Baptism by Fire” section this month. Check them out here:

NEDPLAY -EXCLUSIVE PROMO!!!

Nedplay has just arrived at Casinomeister with a £€$10 No Deposit Bonus!! Casinomeister members only!!!

Play Now!

Terms and Conditions apply – please read them.

English, Dutch, or German – take your pick. Based in the Netherlands and powered by Microgaming – they’ve just had a jackpot winner of (Martin G.) from the Netherlands win the LotsaLoot Progressive Jackpot of � 33.424,87 placing a � 2,50 bet. The player won the jackpot when the 5 LotsaLoot symbols appeared on the 25th Payline at 7/5/2009 11:02 PM (GMT)
Good going Martin!!!

---

About Nedplay Online Casino Nedplay Online Casino is part of the Floryntia Play Group NV, based in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Nedplay offers players a Flash Casino and a Download Casino offering its players over than 400 games to choose from. Nedplay Online Casino is available in English and Dutch. The payout percentages of Nedplay Online Casino are reviewed by independent auditors on a monthly basis and are over 95% in 2009.

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their Casino Manager located here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=nedplay

 

CASINOMEISTER ACCREDITED CASINOS!!!

 

WIN YOUR SEAT AT THE GRAND SLAM OF SLOTS!!
Being a Casinomeister member has always proven to be beneficial, but now this membership is offering you the opportunity of a lifetime!

You could become a MILLIONAIRE with Red Flush

Any and all Casinomeister members who make a deposit and wager with Red Flush Online Casino will stand a chance of winning a ticket to the exclusive and illustrious Microgaming Grand Slam of Slots.

Never before has an event of this magnitude been seen, and never before have the possibilities of becoming a millionaire been so within reach. Only 9000 tickets have been made available, and you could claim one of them by playing with Red Flush.

You can navigate to the Red Flush Online Casino by visiting here

Once you have deposited and wagered, send us an email with your Casinomeister alias and Red Flush Casino Account Number to: competitions@redflush.eu

Then all you need to do is sit back, relax and wait for your name to be drawn. Good Luck to you all!

Terms and conditions apply.

Check them out here

Any questions, be sure to PM their rep here

Sorry no US

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=rflush

Bodog – is back!! Powered by RTG software and US friendly.

At Bodog Sportsbook, Casino and Poker Room we offer our players the simplest and most value added bonus program in the industry, featuring the lowest possible rollover requirements. Our longevity in the industry enables us to offer competitive cash bonuses, quick deposits, fast payouts, and professional customer service. Open an account today to take advantage of our current bonus offers: 10% SIGNUP BONUS
NEW PLAYERS!

Earn a 10% cash online betting bonus on your first deposit.
20% REFER-A-FRIEND BONUS. EARN UP TO $100 CASH

Earn up to US$100 for each friend you refer to Bodog!
110% POKER SIGN-UP BONUS

Earn a 10% upfront cash bonus and up to an additional 100% bonus based on your play in your first 30 days.
100% POKER RELOAD BONUS

For a limited time, we are offering existing poker players a 100% match reload bonus.
DOUBLE POINTS BONUS

Double your cash rewards when you earn 2000 or more points in a month

Terms and conditions apply. Please read them.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=bodog

And Now For The Humor…..

One day, Mom was cleaning junior’s room, and in the closet she found a bondage S+M magazine. This was highly upsetting for her. She hid the magazine until his father got home and showed it to him. He looked at it and handed it back to her with out a word.

She finally asked him, ” Well what should we do about this?”

Dad looked at her and said, “Well I don’t think you should spank him.”

ha ha ha

 

COSTA RICA TO UP IT’S JURISDICTIONAL GAME?

New gaming regulator for online gambling haven

Long on operators and short on real regulation is the widely held player perception of the Costa Rica licensing jurisdiction in online gambling. Whilst the Central American country is home to many large gambling operators, it’s support for player disputes with online gambling venues is not generally well regarded.

That may be all about to change, according to reports in the local media which inform that government plans to introduce legislation which will see all licensees in the country – both land and online – brought under the real authority of a national regulator. The reports cite the worsening economic situation as the spur for the new interest in a proper regulatory regime.

The finance minister, Guillermo Zuniga, has proposed hiking the tax on gambling operator gross revenues by 2 percent to help weather the economic storm, and he has apparently confirmed that there will be more meaningful controls on operators flowing from the new legislation.

The Finance Ministry expects to realise an additional $85 million a year from the tax hike.

Zuniga told reporters that the new gambling arrangements would see a regulatory body with responsbilities to several ministries issuing licenses and policing the operation of licensees. It would be given authority over both land and online gambling operations, he advised. The minister added that the decision to form a regulatory body brought Costa Rica in line with the international trend to regulate and license gambling.

Online gambling activity has never been formally regulated under Costa Rica�s gambling laws, with Internet operators instead taking out business-oriented licenses on the understanding that they will not allow locals to wager. Previous attempts to control online gambling by the government have not been particularly successful. In 2003 a law was passed requiring online gambling operators to register with the Ministry of Finance (see previous InfoPowa report) and generally inconclusive debate has taken place among lawmakers in the National Assembly from time to time.

Media reports to date do not offer clarity on how a new regulator might apply taxation, licensing and compliance procedures.

Online Casino News courtesy ofInfoPowa

More news here.

 

30 July 2009

Dear Reader,

Moving at light speed!

Warp-speedingly yours,

Bryan

Wow – what a week! Lots of new stuff going on – some of you may be aware of the Party Gaming warning that came out recently – about that non-bonus play is subjected to up to a 45x wagering requirement. Party Gaming was doing this to combat money laundering, but most people with a brain felt that it was a bit ridiculous (most casinos require a 1 to 5x wagering requirement for non-bonus play). My Party Gaming contact – who agreed with me that is was not a reasonable term – had recently left the house unbeknownst to me. Finally today, someone has picked up the ball, and this term is being modified. That’s good news.

Twitter is now integrated in our forum – you can tweet your twits both threads and postings. Maybe someone will explain to me what the big hullabaloo is – I still don’t get the “follow me follow you” concept. But what the hell, let’s tweeter away anyway!

---

Thread Spotting
Recent threads you may want to check out.

“Blasts from the Past”
Here’s a new forum set up that hosts some of the more memorable threads from days gone by. These are frequently referred to threads that have been archived. A great place to meander around during a lonely lunch break.

Guess Who’s Cashout Terms Include a 15X WR On All Deposits?
It’s still going on… Is this reasonable? We know about businesses protecting themselves from money launderers. But 15x? C’mon, get real.

Pitbull big problems Yep! Major problemo here…

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

It’s about freakin’ time!!!Casinomeister’s Webcast – 30 July 2009.

Some of you have not checked out the newest Casinomeister webcast at YouTube. If not – why not?

This Week’s topics: Twitter lemmings. Gambling Wages. Ethically challenged webmasters. THIS WEEK’S BIERFEST!!! You can check this out here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

 

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!

What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Last week’s contest was an easy one – you were to identify the movie and scene (what is happening) from the following: 24july2009.mp3. In a matter of hours, it was solved by pevangel who opted for the $$$!!!

The answer: “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” it’s the first scene where Tuco is being hanged and Blonde (Mr. Eastwood) shoots the rope, and then starts shooting at everything else while they escape.

So – are you ready for this week’s contest??? Watch the webcast at Youtube. It’s announced there.

The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/

 

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

Several casinos have joined the “Baptism by Fire” section this month. Check them out here:

NEDPLAY -EXCLUSIVE PROMO!!!

Nedplay has just arrived at Casinomeister with a £€$10 No Deposit Bonus!! Casinomeister members only!!!

Play Now!

Terms and Conditions apply – please read them.

English, Dutch, or German – take your pick. Based in the Netherlands and powered by Microgaming – they’ve just had a jackpot winner of (Martin G.) from the Netherlands win the LotsaLoot Progressive Jackpot of ? 33.424,87 placing a ? 2,50 bet. The player won the jackpot when the 5 LotsaLoot symbols appeared on the 25th Payline at 7/5/2009 11:02 PM (GMT)
Good going Martin!!!

---

About Nedplay Online Casino Nedplay Online Casino is part of the Floryntia Play Group NV, based in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Nedplay offers players a Flash Casino and a Download Casino offering its players over than 400 games to choose from. Nedplay Online Casino is available in English and Dutch. The payout percentages of Nedplay Online Casino are reviewed by independent auditors on a monthly basis and are over 95% in 2009.

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their Casino Manager located here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=nedplay

CASINOMEISTER ACCREDITED CASINOS!!!

WIN YOUR SEAT AT THE GRAND SLAM OF SLOTS!!
Being a Casinomeister member has always proven to be beneficial, but now this membership is offering you the opportunity of a lifetime!

You could become a MILLIONAIRE with Red Flush

Any and all Casinomeister members who make a deposit and wager with Red Flush Online Casino will stand a chance of winning a ticket to the exclusive and illustrious Microgaming Grand Slam of Slots.

Never before has an event of this magnitude been seen, and never before have the possibilities of becoming a millionaire been so within reach. Only 9000 tickets have been made available, and you could claim one of them by playing with Red Flush.

You can navigate to the Red Flush Online Casino by visiting here

Once you have deposited and wagered, send us an email with your Casinomeister alias and Red Flush Casino Account Number to: competitions@redflush.eu

Then all you need to do is sit back, relax and wait for your name to be drawn. Good Luck to you all!

Terms and conditions apply.

Check them out here

Any questions, be sure to PM their rep here

Sorry no US

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=rflush

Bodog – is back!! Powered by RTG software and US friendly.

At Bodog Sportsbook, Casino and Poker Room we offer our players the simplest and most value added bonus program in the industry, featuring the lowest possible rollover requirements. Our longevity in the industry enables us to offer competitive cash bonuses, quick deposits, fast payouts, and professional customer service. Open an account today to take advantage of our current bonus offers: 10% SIGNUP BONUS
NEW PLAYERS!

Earn a 10% cash online betting bonus on your first deposit.
20% REFER-A-FRIEND BONUS. EARN UP TO $100 CASH

Earn up to US$100 for each friend you refer to Bodog!
110% POKER SIGN-UP BONUS

Earn a 10% upfront cash bonus and up to an additional 100% bonus based on your play in your first 30 days.
100% POKER RELOAD BONUS

For a limited time, we are offering existing poker players a 100% match reload bonus.
DOUBLE POINTS BONUS

Double your cash rewards when you earn 2000 or more points in a month

Terms and conditions apply. Please read them.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=bodog

And now For The Humor….

The Blonde Mortician

A man who just died is delivered to a local mortuary wearing an expensive, expertly tailored black suit.

The female blonde mortician asks the deceased’s wife how she would like the body dressed. She points out that the man does look good in the black suit he is already wearing.

The widow, however, says that she always thought her husband looked his best in blue, and that she wants him in a blue suit.

She gives the Blonde mortician a blank check and says, ‘I don’t care what it costs, but please have my husband in a blue suit for the viewing.’

The woman returns the next day for the wake. To her delight, she finds her husband dressed in a gorgeous blue suit with a subtle chalk stripe; the suit fits him perfectly .

She says to the mortician, ‘Whatever this cost, I’m very satisfied . You did an excellent job and I’m very grateful. How much did you spend?’

To her astonishment, the blonde mortician presents her with the blank check.

‘There’s no charge,’ she says.

‘No, really, I must compensate you for the cost of that exquisite blue suit!’ she says.

‘Honestly, ma’am,’ the blonde says, ‘it cost nothing. You see, a deceased gentleman of about your husband’s size was brought in shortly after you left yesterday, and he was wearing an attractive blue suit. I asked his wife if she minded him going to his grave wearing a black suit instead, and she said it made no difference as long as he looked nice.’

(drum roll please)

‘So I just switched the heads.’

ha ha ha

MEISTER MAIL – 7 August 2009

Summer is speeding by, and every week seems to bring us something newsworthy. Last week, Party Gaming resolved the issue of what players considered unrealistic expectations of non-bonus play. This week, Full Tilt Poker opened a dialogue with us to assist in resolving any future FTR issues. Consequently, they were removed from the rogue pit. That’s the good news.

The bad news is…well there really isn’t any bad news Casinomeister-wise. No major meltdown in the forum. No massive wave of disgruntled players from a casino screw-up. It’s been a rather mellow week which has allowed me to venture back into my garden unafraid. Possibly it’s the height of summer vacation (in this part of the planet) and everyone else is either working in their gardens, going on holiday, or sitting on the front porch drinking lemonade and beer. Who knows – but it’s good to be out.

---

Thread Spotting
Recent threads you may want to check out.

Sheep Quiz Questions
Have you joined the “Casinomeister Sheep” contest? Win all sorts of cool prizes by answering the same as your fellow members – like sheep.

How to become an Affiliate
Here’s a little bit of advice for those wishing to quit their day job.

Why don’t we cash out while we’re ahead… Some things to ponder…

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

Join the jovial jocularity!!!Casinomeister’s Webcast – 30 July 2009.

Some of you have not checked out the newest Casinomeister webcast at YouTube. If not – why not?

This Week’s topics: Twitter lemmings. Gambling Wages. Ethically challenged webmasters. THIS WEEK’S BIERFEST!!! (which has been won already). Check this out here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjHKRPfh5jQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/casinomeister

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!

What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Last week’s contest was a hard one – you were to identify the this building. I thought it was going to be a tough one, but daywalker had just booked a vacation to Mandalay Hotel in Vegas…how was I supposed to know? 

He opted for the beer – 10 liters of delicious Bavarian Pilsner was shipped within hours, and he stated, “Beer has been received, it’s very nice. I like Augustiner, Paulaner and the Hofbrau stuff and this is right up there with them all, very smooth, crisp and easy to drink, it’s a good choice so thanks again!”

You’re welcome!! – Enjoy the beer!

THIS WEEK’S CONTEST:
The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

Identify this building. Hint – it has been briefly discussed in one of this year’s newsletters. So…what is it? The first person to correctly identify it wins.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/

CASINOMEISTER ACCREDITED CASINOS!!!

Bodog – is here!! Powered by RTG software and US friendly.

At Bodog Sportsbook, Casino and Poker Room we offer our players the simplest and most value added bonus program in the industry, featuring the lowest possible rollover requirements. Our longevity in the industry enables us to offer competitive cash bonuses, quick deposits, fast payouts, and professional customer service. Open an account today to take advantage of our current bonus offers: 10% SIGNUP BONUS
NEW PLAYERS!

Earn a 10% cash online betting bonus on your first deposit.
20% REFER-A-FRIEND BONUS. EARN UP TO $100 CASH

Earn up to US$100 for each friend you refer to Bodog!
110% POKER SIGN-UP BONUS

Earn a 10% upfront cash bonus and up to an additional 100% bonus based on your play in your first 30 days.
100% POKER RELOAD BONUS

For a limited time, we are offering existing poker players a 100% match reload bonus.
DOUBLE POINTS BONUS

Double your cash rewards when you earn 2000 or more points in a month

Terms and conditions apply. Please read them.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=bodog

And now for the humor……

A photographer from a well know national magazine was assigned to cover the fires at Yellowstone National Park. The magazine wanted to show some of the heroic work of the fire fighters as they battled the blaze.

When the photographer arrived, he realized that the smoke was so thick that it would seriously impede or make it impossible for him to photograph anything from ground level. He requested permission to rent a plane and take photos from the air. His request was approved and arrangements were made. He was told to report to a nearby airport where a plane would be waiting for him.

He arrived at the airport and saw a plane warming up near the gate. He jumped in with his bag and shouted, “Let’s go!” The pilot swung the little plane into the wind, and within minutes they were in the air.

The photographer said, “Fly over the park and make two or three low passes so I can take some pictures.”

“Why?” asked the pilot. “Because I am a photographer,” he responded, “and photographers take photographs.”

The pilot was silent for a moment; finally he stammered, “You mean you’re not the flight instructor?”

ha ha ha

CANADIAN ARRESTED ON $350 MILLION ONLINE GAMBLING ALLEGATIONS

US officials lay charges of fraud and other offences

A Canadian resident, Douglas Rennick (34), has been indicted in the United States on fraud and related charges for processing some $350 million for Internet gambling firms, the Agence France Presse news agency reports.

The indictment has been unsealed in the Southern District of New York (the same US court that recently moved to freeze the assets of US-facing poker sites including Full Tilt and Poker Stars) charging Rennick with bank fraud and other offenses stemming from his role in a scheme to disguise the transactions to distribute gambling winnings to US residents.

Allegations by the US Justice Department are that from 2007 to June 2009, Rennick opened bank accounts in the United States under various corporate names such as “KJB Financial Corporation”, “Account Services Corporation” and “Check Payment Financial Co” and “falsely represented that the accounts would be used for such purposes as issuing rebate checks, refund checks, sponsorship checks, affiliate checks and minor payroll processing.”

“Account Services” accounts at branches of Wells Fargo and Union Bank are reported to have been used to pay players on US-facing sites such as Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet, Poker Stars and Full Tilt.

Authorities said Rennick and unnamed co-conspirators used the accounts “to receive funds from offshore Internet gambling companies that offered, variously, poker, blackjack, slots and other casino games.”

Rennick and others “then disbursed those funds via checks to US residents seeking to cash out their gambling winnings.”

The indictment charged that Rennick and others “provided false and misleading information to US banks about the purpose of the accounts because the banks would not have processed the transactions had they known they were gambling-related.”

US investigators claimed that Rennick and co-conspirators processed more than $350 million transferred from a Cyprus bank account to various US bank accounts for this purpose.

If found guilty, Rennick faces a maximum term of 30 years in prison and fines of more than one million dollars for bank fraud, money laundering and other charges. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of at least $565 million.

Justice Department officials claim that Internet gambling by US residents is illegal even if the websites are owned by foreign operators, but it has focused prosecutions under the Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act on companies and individuals involved in financial transactions.

Online Casino News courtesy ofInfoPowa

More news here.

MEISTER MAIL – 21 August 2009

Well, I thought I was being slick last week. I took off for the in-laws expecting to chill-out for a few days. I had my lap-top alongside and was going to piddle around and get some work done in a more “relaxed” mode. Well, their Internet connection did a nose dive – crash and burn, and I was left twiddling my thumbs wondering what was up in Casinomeisterland. All in all, it was cool. What was un-cool was coming back this week dealing with a massive amount of work that had piled up. But have no fear, I’m just about caught up before “Road Trip 2009” commences next Monday: driving through the south of France with the family for a couple of weeks.

So onward – we’ve got a lot of great stuff going on this week. Scroll on down and enjoy…

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE

Join the jovial jocularity!!!Casinomeister’s Webcast – 21 August 2009.

It’s about freaking time!!

This Week’s topics: Upcoming conferences. Business Ethics. Bad Casino Business Practice. THIS WEEK’S BIERFEST!!! (which is freaking hard this time – ha ha ha). Check this out here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TgvaARqKPI

https://www.youtube.com/user/casinomeister

CASINOMEISTER’S BIERFEST IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!

What could be better than winning some bonus from some online casino? BEER I tells ya!!

Our last contest was a difficult one – or so I thought – you were to identify the this building. I thought it was going to be a tough one, but daywalker had been to Amsterdam a lot – and guessed it as the Heineken brewery. He chose to have his $50 donated to charity (he was the previous week’s winner).

THIS WEEK’S CONTEST:
So – are you ready for this week’s contest??? Watch the webcast at Youtube. It’s announced there.

The first person to get it right wins BEER delivered to your doorstep (must be legal drinking age and not live in a beer unfriendly environment) – or $50 – your choice.

Get ready…get set…go!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/bierfest/

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

TWO RIVAL CASINOS HAVE JOINED FIRE!!. Check them out here:

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And now for the humor……

The Trade

A preacher was making his rounds to his parishoners on a bicycle, when he came upon a little boy trying to sell a lawnmower.

?How much do you want for the mower?? asked the preacher.

?I?m just trying to make enough money to buy a bicycle,? said the little boy.

After a moment of consideration, the preacher asked, ?Will you take my bike in trade for it??

The boy said, ?You got a deal.?

The preacher took the mower and tried to crank it. He pulled on the string a few times with no response from the mower.

The preacher called the little boy over and said, ?I can?t get this mower to start.?

The little boy said, ?That?s ?cause you have to cuss at it to get it started.?

The preacher said, ?I?m a minister, and I can?t cuss. It?s been so long since I?ve been saved that I don?t know if I even remember how to cuss.?

The little boy looked at him happily and said, ?Just keep pulling on that string. It?ll come back to ya!?

ha ha ha

BoS FOUNDER COPS GUILTY PLEA

Gary Kaplan agrees to forfeit $43.6 million to feds, serve 41 to 51 months in prison.

The mainstream media are carrying a dramatic story which surfaced late Friday in which BetOnSports plc founder Gary Kaplan pleaded guilty to federal racketeering conspiracy and other charges. The controversial gambling executive has reportedly settled with federal authorities on a forfeiture of $43.6 million in “illegally obtained revenue” as part of the deal.

As Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Holtshouser remarked, Kaplan won’t be left penniless.

Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap said in a statement that Kaplan had entered pleas of guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate the RICO statute, conspiring to violate the Wire Wager Act and violating the Wire Wager Act. He appeared before United States District Judge Carol E. Jackson in St. Louis, Missouri to formalise the agreement.

Reap said that Kaplan will forfeit to the United States $43 650 000 in “criminal proceeds” and revealed that Kaplan had made a wire transfer of that amount from a Swiss bank account to a U.S. District Court bank account a week prior to entering his guilty pleas. In addition, Kaplan has agreed to a jail sentence of no less than 41 months and no more than 51 months, which could be reduced by time served in custody already.

Kaplan founded the Costa Rica-based company in 1995, and by 2006, BetOnSports was one of the biggest and boldest of the online gambling firms, handling $1.8 billion annually in bets and headed by CEO David Carruthers.

Then the long-taunted US Justice Department struck, enforcing their argument that online gambling was illegal in terms of the Wire Act, and arresting Carruthers whilst he was in transit through the USA on his way to Costa Rica. It was the start of a series of arrests and Grand Jury actions that eventually saw the demise of the powerful company and the arrest and extradition from Dominica to the USA of Kaplan himself in March of 2007, nine months after his Grand Jury indictment. He has been held ever since, and was widely believed to be preparing to go on trial in September.

Previously four other former executives, including two of Kaplan’s siblings and Carruthers (see previous InfoPowa reports), pleaded guilty, although as yet no one has been sentenced.

Prosecutors said the company falsely advertised that its Web-based and phone-based gambling operations were legal, and misled gamblers into believing that money transferred to BetOnSports was safe and available to withdraw at any time.

In fact, they said, the money was used to expand operations, including purchase of a rival betting firm. When BetOnSports was forced to cease operations in 2006, customers lost more than $16 million.

In Friday’s St. Louis federal court hearing, Kaplan admitted to multiple charges of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and agreed to serve 41 to 51 months in prison and forfeit $43.65 million.

“Taking away the assets from these illegal organizations hits criminals where it hurts most – it deprives them of their profits,” said Toni Weirauch, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation.

?Kaplan made millions of dollars by making it too easy for people to gamble away their hard earned money without having to leave their homes,?? John Gillies, special agent in charge of the FBI in St. Louis, said in the statement. ?Today?s guilty plea should have a lasting effect because Kaplan was not only the founder of Betonsports, he was also one of the pioneers of illegal online gambling.??

Now bankrupt, London-based BetOnSports took in $1.25 billion in 2004, with 98 percent of that revenue coming from bets made through its Web site by U.S.-based clients, reports Bloombergs business news service. The company suspended trading of its shares on the London Stock Exchange on July 18, 2006, one day after the indictment was unsealed. BoS company directors submitted a guilty plea in May 2007 but no sentence has been passed on the little that remains of it.

At its height, BetOnSports employed over 1 700 people, mainly in Costa Rica, and boasted over a million players. The company went public on the AIM exchange in London in 2004, raising $100 million in a buoyant online gambling market. It is understood that the money found its way into Swiss bank accounts via trusts registered in Jersey in the Channel Isles.

Kaplan’s agreement with the Justice Department must be endorsed by a judge at a hearing scheduled for October 27th this year.

?This brings to an end a very controversial enforcement action,?? Houston defense lawyer Dan Cogdell, who accompanied Kaplan in court, told Bloombergs. ?Kaplan long believed that what he did was lawful; it was only in the last several years he recognized it wasn?t lawful. He?s made every effort to make amends.??

Cogdell said the government agreed to drop additional charges if the judge accepts the plea deal at the October 27th hearing. He said Kaplan should receive credit at sentencing for the two years he?s already spent in prison.

The Grand Jury indictment named the company, Kaplan, CEO David Carruthers and nine other people. Carruthers admitted to one count of racketeering conspiracy in April this year (see previous InfoPowa report).

By June 23, all of the other individual defendants, including the founder?s siblings, Neil Scott Kaplan and Lori Beth Kaplan Multz, had pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the case, leaving their brother as the lone defendant facing trial.

The case is U.S. v. Betonsports, 06cr337, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis).

Online Casino News courtesy ofInfoPowa

More news here.

MEISTER MAIL – 10 September 2009

What I learned from the French… Yep, I’ve been out for the past couple of weeks for my annual summer break. This year we took a family road trip through Southern France. It was my first visit since 2005 (the EIG in Nice – which doesn’t really count), and it was truly an enlightening experience.

For one thing, I had no idea that there were so many massive Roman structures that are still intact in France. The aqueduct at Pont du Gard and the amphitheatre in Nimes were built in the first century AD and are equally impressive. The amphitheatre is still being used for public performances by the way.

Here are a few myths about the French I’d like to address:

The French are generally rude and arrogant, especially the waiters: Bogus. In fact, most everyone we met was pleasant; they look you in the face when greeting or saying goodbye to you. They were helpful and polite when asked questions. The waiters and waitresses were great – no problem there.

The French won’t speak English with tourists even though they understand it. BS. Just because they’re French doesn’t mean they understand English. That doesn’t make sense – these are two different languages. And it’s France, people speak French in France and if you don’t speak French you’re going to be lost in translation. Expecting a French shoe saleswoman to understand English is like expecting a 7/11 clerk in Dayton Ohio to understand Norwegian. Get real. Learn the language before visiting a country. At least be able to count, say hello/goodbye, say excuse me, how much does that cost? I’ll take __ amount, thank you, you’re welcome, and something funny like “Je ne suis qu’un object sexuel pour toi.” That gets them every time.

The French are terrible drivers. Actually it’s very true, but they are good at being terrible, so it’s predictable on what they might do. When traveling on the freeway, real French drivers turn their left blinker on, and leave it on until they’ve had enough it. The rule of the road is who ever goes first goes first – regardless. If you wait at a cross walk, you’ll wait forever. They’ll only stop when you get in their way. Same thing goes with driving.

The French like to eat snails. Nope – I like them too.

You can check out a few pictures in my photo album here.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/members/casinomeister-albums-summer-break-france.html

CASINOMEISTER’S FORUM

Changes in Signature rules: Recently there has been an issue about signatures and how some members are exploiting the board with their usage. There are rules that govern the use of signatures, and one in particular:

4.2 – Content Restrictions: You may have a link to your own website or services, but there must be no promotional language like “Best Casino” or “Fastest Payouts”. Affiliate links are NOT permitted.Has been changed to:

4.2 – Content Restrictions: Please do not post any ad-copy or advertisial language. References to websites are not permitted.The thing is, it’s virtually impossible to monitor everyone’s signature, so beginning tomorrow hyperlinks will be disallowed from signatures except for Moderators, and i-Gaming Reps.

If you have hyperlinks in your signature, please remove them as soon as possible since it will appear as code shortly, and it will look pretty fugly.

Please don’t forget that you are allowed to list your website (or websites that interest you) in your profile – check your User CP for this.

Discussion here.

---

Gaining Your Trust – Take the poll!
What is the most important factor for you when choosing an online casino? Is it transparency? Word of mouth? Software vendor? Jurisdiction? What is it? Let us know by taking the poll and joining in the discussion here

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/forum-suggestions-announcements-feedback/33460-changes-signature-rules.html
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/33442-gaining-your-trust.html

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

TWO RIVAL CASINOS HAVE JOINED FIRE!!. Check them out here:

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Any questions or comments can be directed toward their casino rep located here
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And now for the humor……

Two cowboys come upon an Indian lying on his stomach with his ear to the ground. One of the cowboys stops and says to the other, “You see that Indian?”

“Yeah,” says the other cowboy.

“Look,” says the first one, “he’s listening to the ground. He can hear things for miles in any direction.”

Just then the Indian looks up. “Covered wagon,” he says, “about two miles away. Have two horses, one brown, one white. Man, woman, child, household effects in wagon.”

“Incredible!” says the cowboy to his friend. “This Indian knows how far away they are, how many horses, what color they are, who is in the wagon, and what is in the wagon. Amazing!”

The Indian looks up and says, “Ran over me about a half hour ago.”

ha ha ha

MEISTER MAIL – 12 September 2009

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

Join the jovial jocularity!!!Casinomeister’s Webcast – 12 September 2009.

This Week’s topics: Signature changes in forum, making mistakes, lying liars who lie to us. Check this out here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H3tLK0AFf8

https://www.youtube.com/user/casinomeister

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

ANOTHER RIVAL CASINO HAS JOINED THE FIRE!!. Check them out here:

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24 September 2009 – Special Edition

EIG 2009 – Copenhagen

Looking for a good Danish…

I’ve never been to Denmark before. To mention “Denmark”, images of fish, yummy “Danishes” (of course), the Little Mermaid, and Viking stereotypes filled my thoughts. Merely mention the word “Copenhagen” and only visions of chewing tobacco would spring up. For a well traveled person such as me, Mr. Meister, I was feeling embarrassingly non-travel savvy; a land lubber. Hell, I didn’t even know how to say hello, goodbye, or thank you in Danish. Baaad traveler.

But Copenhagen was the target city for the EIG and the World Poker Congress this year. After years of being held in Barcelona (and a couple of times in Nice), the conference was moved to this northern city. Why? Well there were so many muggings and pickpocketed conference goers last year that this prompted the decision that Barcelona was not the place to be. Copenhagen was it. At least I could find it on a map – that was reassuring.

So here I was at the Imperial Hotel which was pretty nice relatively speaking. The breakfast sucked and was way overpriced, but everything else – free wi-fi, comfortable rooms, nice staff, great location – hell, their room-key cards are made of wood – not plastic! I kept mine as a souvenir…which means they’ll be cutting down more trees to replace these. Baaad environmentalist.

The first evening begun with a nice beer chat-session with Brian Cullingworth – senior partner of Infopowa news – and we discussed some of the recent developments in the online gaming industry. Specifically, how and why some of the more popular affiliate programs are introducing retroactive changes to their terms and conditions. We also talked a bit about some of the forum drama that has been going on of late – and how it really distracts people from some of the more interesting and informative threads. We also talked a little bit about you my dear reader – but we’ll keep things discreet for now. Ha, got your attention didn’t I?

That evening we discovered that i-Gaming people are attracted like magnets (or flies) to the same places. Brian and I walked across the street and found a myriad of acquaintances hanging out at Rosie McGee’s. It turned out that most people were relying on Facebook and Twitter to find out where the parties were, and this place was chosen to be “the place” that night. How convenient for us.

That night was a blur of familiar faces – the morning came quickly.

Day One: I woke up hungry – and I woke up late. But I gave myself plenty of time to get to the conference center. The Bella Center had its own Metro Station, and I envisioned it complete with a Food Court just like the one in Montreal. I was hoping for a Starbucks, or even have a Sushi-brunch. Yummm, I was famished by the time I had arrived…

…and where was everybody? The Metro exited at the east wing of the conference center, which was boarded up like they were expecting a typhoon. So I walked, and walked, and followed the paper signs directing me to the EIG – and only a couple of people in sight. Perhaps 11 am was too early for the delegates, I don’t know. What I do know – was that it was a good kilometer walk around the construction zone that lead to the West entrance. This was were everybody congregated – a mass of smokers loitering by the front entrance, swathed in black business attire; ties and jackets.

No food. Merely a conference hall café with the typical airport priced coffee and “Danishes”. The hell with that – I’d rather starve. But at least there was some yummy java available. I chit chatted with a number of people before the show began.

Michael Hirst, chairman of eCOGRA, was the moderator of the first two speakers who were pleasantly informative: Kristian Jensen, Denmark’s Minister of Taxation gave us the perspectives of Danish (and thus European) politicians, and why there is an atmosphere of protectionism in Europe. Even though online gaming seems to be opening up, it will probably be allowed within one’s borders – and that’s it.

The second speaker was quite engaging – Paul B.Carroll, Co-Author of “Billion-Dollar Lessons: What You Can Learn from the Most Inexcusable Business Failures of the Last 25 Years”, gave us a number of tips on what to be wary of. Some great advice: leave the room when anyone uses the term “synergy” or “the model says it’s so”. He gave us a few examples on major business blunders and stressed how we learn from other’s mistakes – and he is absolutely correct. I’d recommend buying his book – my copy is already in the mail.

By this time I’m usually nodding off, but the following panel discussion was just as informative: the venerable Sue Schneider moderated her panel “Learn from the industry�s veterans and founders” which discussed the challenges of this industry and where is it going.

There were quite a few comments that I’ll share with you. Where is this industry going? Well it’s hard to say, but within the next five years you should have a mobile strategy in place. The industry is consolidating, and some of the panel predicted that the smaller companies will either fold or get swallowed up. Legal issues will be resolved in the US – but be careful what you wish for – compliance = taxation. Latin America will also be the next big market.

Further discussion revolved around the fact that this is an entertainment business, and if you’re going to succeed you need to bring added value to the player. It’s not just about providing games – there’s much more to it than that.

Affiliate marketing…many operators are making changes because it’s too expensive.

Adriaan Brink, the CEO of iCoins and Genesis Consulting, stressed that even though this business revolves around marketing and networking – it’s a people business from the customer on up. It’s all about relationships. John Anderson, from 888.com fame, gave some sage advice for the industry folk at the panel’s closing: “Everyone is an idiot except for yourself.” Maybe he’s right.

At that time, I was famished and made it out to the break area where they were serving coffee and “Danishes”. I guess I’m spoiled living in Germany where the pastries are second to none (except France). I was a bit taken aback that these Danishes were covered in a blob of thick icing and sprinkled with those little colored sugar microballs. What the hell? But I ate about five of them while speaking to the operator of Buzzluck Casino and Club World – some good stuff.

Voice from the past – EIG 2005
Party Poker’s CEO Richard Segal gave the keynote address, and he discussed the topic of going public. Pits and pratfalls that others may need to be aware of – he stated that early life as a public company was more exciting than expected. He went further to talk about the downside of public listing, and one thing is the transparency. Competitors will know information you may not want them to know, it will give them an edge they didn’t have beforehand. Also, public scrutiny is not always a welcome thing. He then showed some examples of how the UK press had goofed on him with a full page photo layout depicting him with a cowboy hat and munching on a fat stogie while playing poker. Ha ha, I chuckled to myself – thinking of the some of the colorful people I know who are going public and what they might have to put up with.

Richard Segal went on further talking about marketing and the importance of affiliate marketing. 30% of Party Poker’s players come through affiliates and he stressed their importance. There has been a bit of paranoia in the affiliate world. With mainstream media opening their advertising venues to online casinos, sportsbooks, and online poker rooms – many affiliates feel threatened as they would be turned into a cyber dinosaur. At the moment, affiliate marketing is still a crucial form of marketing.That evening, it was dinner at the Kong Hans Kælder with friends. An absolutely marvelous four course meal where each serving is explained in detail. It was the first time I had quail eggs – ever. Good stuff.

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EIG part II

Retroactive terms and conditions addressed…

Day two:

Well, my breakfast sucked. The eggs, which were labeled “scrambled” should have been re-labled “fused gelatin-like substance.” I figured the Danes knew how to make scrambled eggs – but not in this hotel.

Back at the EIG: this time I was finally in the exhibition hall and was impressed with the size – the EIG has grown substantially over the years. Nothing really new and exciting – but it was good making contact with people via their booths. This is the true value of these exhibitions for me; making face to face contact with reps from Malta, MGS, Cryptologic, Playtech, and on and on. Some of the most conductive meetings are the chance encounters I have with people in the hallways. I had a sit-down pow-wow with Star Partners, and they explained to me the recent changes in their affiliate terms and conditions.

When Star Partner recently made some changes (corralling big winners) – 70% of the webmasters (who bothered to reply to their poll) gave them the thumbs up. But for some reason, there was a huge outcry from webmasters claiming this is a rogue outfit. “It’s a retroactive change and it’s eeeevil.” I took a look at the change, and I saw nothing wrong with it. Star Partners went as far as stating that webmasters can choose which way they want to go, the old way or the new way. That seems like a “partnership” to me.

Retroactive changes to terms and conditions is a tricky subject, and affiliates need to understand that these are not all bad – in many cases these are good changes. Ten years ago, most of the affiliate programs were paying their affiliates 10% rev share. As time went by, these programs increased the rev share to 15%, then to 25%, sometimes up to 35%. When the aff programs made these retroactive changes, it applied to ALL players, not just the new ones. That was a true “retroactive change” – and no one complained about it (as far as I know).

If it was the other way around, I’m sure the affiliates would have freaked out in a major way.

This is a relatively new industry that is extremely dynamic. Affiliate programs and affiliates need to accept the fact that some things are difficult to foresee. Thus – it’s important that both parties understand one another.

There have been a few scenarios that have riled a few webmasters. And I think it would be fair to say that some programs thought that the changes weren’t all that bad – they thought they were making changes that webmasters wouldn’t mind. The main point is though, before making any changes, they should have conferred with their partners – the affiliates. The crux of the matter is that there needs to be explicit “consent” from the affiliates. This is a true “partnership.”

Why should players care about this? Reason: the way that an affiliate program conducts business reflects entirely on its business philosophy and ethics. This philosophy – in most cases – is echoed throughout every particle of its business. And this is why affiliates should care about how players are treated by their partnered casinos. It is a two way street.

Voice from the past – EIG 2004
Sitges: a small resort town on the outskirts of Barcelona known for its gay clientele. And as many of you know, I used to live in the gay district in San Diego for about eight years – so I’ve seen it all. And being a native Californian – not much can surprise me. But what I was surprised at was the apparent emptiness of the city. My hotel was on the marina (about a ten minute walk to the conference center) which was lined with open-air cafes and restaurants – but it was a ghost town. Just a handful of diners, and plenty of stray cats.

The conference had already kicked off by the time I had arrived, which was cool since I wasn’t dealing with jetlag or any weirdo time difference. I just briefly unpacked and made my way down the road two hundred meters, and then proceeded to climb 147 steps up a 45 degree incline (yes I counted them – 148 if you counted the curb) towards the conference center. Glad I’m not a smoker (eh, Spearmaster?).

And there I was, in the magnificent Melia Sitges Hotel (a four star with five star prices) and I was greeted by a myriad of familiar folk – it seemed as though I had just seen some of them merely a few weeks ago (I did – in Vegas), and some I hadn’t seen for a year or so. And yes, they were all hanging out by the bar…
That evening – dinner with Intertops and celebrating the 40th birthday of one of their employees. It was a nice get-together – Bonustreak and Bodog Becky were just a couple of the entertaining forum members who were there – behaving themselves. We stayed until closing, and then headed to the EIG’s official party – which was extremely disappointing. It was too loud, too crowded, there was no ambiance, and the doorman/bouncer was a rude chap. Luckily, this place was next to a quiet pub/brewery Vesterbro Bryghus and Rosie Magee’s. So after one beer, I left to go next door, and it seemed that I was not alone in this migration.

EIG part III

The truth will set you free…
The World Poker Congress was being held in conjunction with the EIG and I had been invited to speak – Gaining and Maintaining Player Trust. If you’d like to get a portion of what I discussed, you can check out the latest YouTube presentation here. In a nutshell, you gain people’s trust by being transparent, applying the “Golden Rule”, don’t lie, and when you make mistakes – admit it. Check out the video – you can apply these techniques to any workplace.

Closing statements – the last panel discussion was an intriguing one. including CEO’s Malcolm Graham (PKR), Steve Lipscomb (WPT), and Jim Ryan (PartyGaming). A few comments to share:

There is something on the horizon that’s going to hit this industry big in a good way, we just don’t what it is yet. It’s an idea like Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace – an idea that hasn’t reached us yet, but it’s there. Something we can’t imagine will be the hot topic next year.

The biggest growth potential is the younger crowd. Poker Players are becoming like rock stars – so their followers are being drawn into the equation; it’s a younger man’s game. Steve Lipscomb talked about “selling the dream.” This is equivocal to Vegas – you are selling entertainment because this is the entertainment business. If you are not doing this, you’ll dry up and fade away.

The conference ended on a very positive note – a big difference from three years ago when everybody was getting ready to slash their wrists. Thanks to Clarion Gaming for bringing this all together. Kudos to all.

Voice from the past – EIG 2007
And here I am reflecting on “what a strange trip it’s been.” There are a lot of good people in this industry, and it pleases me to see them doing a job well done. Even though there is still a lot of room for improvement, I feel that most everyone is on the right track. It also amazes me how often I meet people who are just getting into the business. I hand them my card, and give them instructions on what to read on this site, and what to look for. Hopefully, they’ll become members of Casinomeisterland.Funny how some things don’t ever change…

Photographic proof of the events here.

MEISTER MAIL – 1 October 2009

Fall cleanup… Yep, it that time of year again where I sift through the site and clean house. Fall clean-up is a tradition carried over from my Army days at Ft. Bragg. This is when we’d spend a week raking dirt, picking up trash, and paint big rocks. “If it moves – salute it; if it don’t – paint it,” was our motto. We’d stash cases of beer in the bushes to enhance our morale. Well, no beer stashing in Casinomeisterland. It’s an open bar over here.

New sections have appeared by the way – Online Gambling e-Wallets and Payment Resources is new. Online Gambling Resources has been updated with auditing companies. The PAB No Can Do List is being updated every week – and the rogue section is the next task at hand. It should be revamped by mid-month.

That will entail a lot of painting and raking…and perhaps a beer or two.

---

CASINOMEISTER’S MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!!

In the last 30 days, we’ve had 280 new members sign up – and only four of these new members were referred by a current member.

You guys are missing out. Many of these people could have signed up via your referral. All they have to do is to enter your user name in the box marked “referred by” when they sign up and you get credit.

So let’s make it interesting – Do you want a $30 gift certificate from Amazon.com? Be the one who refers the most members in the next 6 days and it’s yours.

Read the guidelines for referring members – it’s really quite simple. The instructions on referring members are located here

Deadline – 1200 hrs CET 6 October 2009

CASINOMEISTER ON YOUTUBE!

It’s about freakin’ time!!! Casinomeister’s Webcast – 1 October 2009.

Just uploaded at YouTube! This Week’s topics:
The Future of online gaming – are you in the picture?
Pop goes the whistle?
VORTRAN007’s CASINO WARNING…and…THIS WEEK’S BIERFEST!!!

You can check this out here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ8jbStiMfUhttps://www.youtube.com/user/casinomeister

ACCREDITED RIG CASINOS!!

Have you checked out Aladdin’s Gold Casino in last couple of days?? Well seeing is believing. This has got to be one of the best relaunches I’ve seen. Excellent new graphics and animations. Even if you hate RTG or all online casinos for that matter, you’ll love the site!! Check it out now – you’ll be glad you did!!

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Terms and conditions apply.

US Accepted

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Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

“End of Summer” Specials at Buzzluck.com
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Get a 100% reload bonus up to �250.00 free when you make your next deposit at Buzzluck.com. PM the casino rep here to get the coupon code for the bonus

3. Weekly “Goofy” Contest
Every week on Casinomeister we’re going to run goofy contests that members must participate in for a chance to win a cash prize. Check out the promotion section of the forum and to see what goofy contest we have come up with.

Please read the Terms and Conditions for all these great offers – If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

Buzzluck… Never Bored

Sorry – No US

And now for the humor……

A guy walks into a bar…

Looking completely distraught, he shuffles over to the bar like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and drops into a seat. He plonks his head in his hands and sighs loudly.

The barman comes over cautiously, and asks the man what he’ll have. The man, without looking up, replies: ‘Ten whiskeys!’

Slightly taken aback, the barman asks if he’s sure. ”Yeah I’m sure, now line them up!’ comes the reply. Not wanting to upset the man any further the barman lines up the drinks, and as quick as he sets them down the man shoots them back, then slumps back into his seat again, sighing.

The barmans worried about the guy so he asks him: ‘Hey dude.. are you allright?”. Red eyed, the man looks up at him and says: ‘You’d drink like that too if you had what I have”. Fearing the worst, the barman presses on. ”Oh dear, what is it you have? Aids… Cancer?” . ”No” the man replies…” I have about a dollar fifty.”

ha ha ha

MEISTER MAIL – 15 October 2009

Fall cleanup cont…. The Rogue section is one of the first places on the list – it’s gettin’ there. A new section has been added: “Casino Warnings“. These are the warnings that Max or I post in the forum and usually precede a “rogue” or “not recommended” listing in the pit. This section has replaced the “Casino Caution” section which was getting a bit musty.

Speaking of old and musty, there is a new section “Dungeon of Evil“ – this is where the rogues of yore are listed. Many of the sites are dead and gone, but they live on in infamy.

It’s a work in progress. If you have any comments, please feel free to post them here.

---

Rushmore Group Removed From Accredited Casino Section

This sucks. I hate it when a casino group screws up so much that they get booted from the site. Here is what happened: just a few days ago, a member in our forum reported that he was locked out of his casino account at Rushmore. It turns out that his account was considered “dormant” since it had been nearly two years since he last logged into his account. The casino, like many others, has a policy stated in their terms and conditions that accounts that have no activity for over 180 days are closed and the player forfeits his balance. This player supposedly had 1-2k still in his account – and now it’s gone. The thing is, the casino never made an attempt to remind the player that the account was approaching dormancy. They just closed his account and that was that. They stated that they were not going to budge on this.

The bottom line is – is this fair? I understand that dormant accounts can pose logistical problems, and yes, there isn’t a reason why these accounts aren’t closed. But the casino should notify the member beforehand, and if the member comes back, the casino should offer to open the account back up with the original cash balance. To not do this is unfair in my opinion, and is unbecoming of an “Accredited Casino”.

The problem was exacerbated by the operator’s silence. Not a peep. The only person communicating with us is their casino manager, who seems to be caught between a rock and a hard place. I had the same problem when I was inquiring about the complaints from players springing up in our forum concerning late payments. Now there is talk of delayed payments to affiliates. One PAB from an affiliate has been filed – no response from the affiliate manager yet.

So they are off the site, and consider this a warning shot across the bow. I hope the casino administration comes to its senses and realizes that I don’t care that they don’t care about being listed at the site. But the players do – as well as many affiliates.

This also prompted me to add a term to the standards of Casinomeister Accredited Casinos:

Must not implement terms that can be construed as “unfair” towards the player.That’s one term I never thought I would have to add.

Get your act together Rushmore.

Rushmore Casino Group
Rushmore Casino
Cherry Red
Slots Oasis
C-Planet Affiliates

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

Let’s welcome  the newest Playtech casino listed in Casinomeister’s “Baptism by Fire“!

Current promotions:

CURRENT BONUSES

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More information at – please read their terms and conditions.

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their casino rep located here

Sorry – No US

https://www.casinomeister.com/accredited-casinos/#fire

ACCREDITED RIG CASINOS

Have you checked out Aladdin’s Gold Casino in last couple of days?? Well seeing is believing. This has got to be one of the best relaunches I’ve seen. Excellent new graphics and animations. Even if you hate RTG or all online casinos for that matter, you’ll love the site!! Check it out now – you’ll be glad you did!!

200% bonus on every deposit…Unlimited for 7 days!

As part of the new and unique features of Aladdin’s Gold, players who take up this offer will see a countdown timer in the lobby indicating when how much time they have left to claim the bonus before the 7 days runs out. No bonus code is required, all you need to do is claim the offer with a simple click of a button.

100% bonus on every deposit …Unlimited for 7 days!

Same as above – check them out today!!!

Terms and conditions apply.

US Accepted

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=agc

Buzzluck Casino is the first online casino providing on-site entertainment above and beyond the casino games themselves. The first online casino with an interactive 3D lobby and a live video Live Lounge, as well as all the casino games you’d expect, Buzzluck.com is the first online casino that warrants the title “online supercasino.”

“End of Summer” Specials at Buzzluck.com
1. 400% Welcome Bonus up to ?400.00 FREE

New players at Buzzluck.com will receive a 400% welcome bonus up to ?400.00 free on their first deposit at Buzzluck.com. Use Coupon Code CM400.

2. 100% Reload Bonus

Get a 100% reload bonus up to ?250.00 free when you make your next deposit at Buzzluck.com. PM the casino rep here to get the coupon code for the bonus

3. Weekly “Goofy” Contest
Every week on Casinomeister we’re going to run goofy contests that members must participate in for a chance to win a cash prize. Check out the promotion section of the forum and to see what goofy contest we have come up with.

Please read the Terms and Conditions for all these great offers – If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact their casino rep here

Buzzluck… Never Bored

Sorry – No US

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Sorry – No US

PLEASE NOTE: THESE OFFERS ARE ONLY VALID FOR PLAYERS WHO DOWNLOAD FROM THESE LINKS AT CASINOMEISTER — COPYING AND PASTING THIS OFFER ELSEWHERE IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN
Any questions or comments can be directed toward their Operations Manager located here

 

 

And now for the humor……

A couple of women were playing golf one sunny Saturday morning. The first of the twosome teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole.

Indeed, the ball hit one of the men, and he immediately clasped his hands together at his crotch, fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around in evident agony.

The woman rushed down to the man and immediately began to apologize. She said, “Please allow me to help. I’m a physical therapist and I know I could relieve your pain if you’d allow.”

“Ummph, oooh, nnooo, I’ll be all right…I’ll be fine in a few minutes,” he replied breathlessly as he remained in the fetal position still clasping his hands together at his crotch.

But she persisted, and he finally allowed her to help him. She gently took his hands away and laid them to the side, she loosened his pants,and she put her hands inside. She began to massage him.

She then asked him, “How does that feel?”

To which he replied, “It feels great, but my thumb still hurts like hell.”

ha ha ha

MEISTER MAIL – 23 October 2009

You can see and hear “the word” this week at YouTube:
Casinomeister’s Webcast – 22 October 2009.

This Week’s topics:
The problem with boys!
The problem with Rushmore Casino
VORTRAN007’s Casino Warning
Jovial jocularity!
All this and more – grab a beer and check this out here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyBYX4Azs1chttps://www.youtube.com/user/casinomeister

BAPTISM BY FIRE

casinomeister.com/baptism-fire-new-casinos/(opens in a new tab)

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.
THREE NEW CASINOS RECENTLY ADDED – CHECK ‘EM OUT!!

BAPTISM BY FIRE!! BOYLE CASINO!! £10 ND BONUS!!
Boyle Casino is the newest Wager Works casino in our Baptism by Fire section. Check out their £10 No Deposit Bonus!! Check it out here!!

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their casino rep located here
Sorry – No US

And now for the humor……

Two elderly couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, “Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?”

“Outstanding,” Fred replied. “They taught us all the latest psychological techniques – visualization, association – it made a huge difference for me.”

“That’s great! What was the name of the clinic?”

Fred went blank. He thought and thought, but couldn’t remember. Then a smile broke across his face and he asked, “What do you call that red flower with the long stem and thorns?”

“You mean a rose?”

“Yes, that’s it!” He turned to his wife. . .”Rose, what was the name of that clinic?”

ha ha ha

KENTUCKY SUBMISSIONS HEARD

“We’ll get back to you on this,” say judges.

The main focus of industry interest as the week ends was Thursday’s Kentucky Supreme Court hearing on whether the state government has the jurisdiction to seize 141 international domain names owned by online gambling companies based beyond the reach of Kentucky enforcement.

The appearance of lawyers to give oral arguments backing up previous submissions to the court is the latest in a series of legal clashes following the state’s notorious attempt last year to seize and confiscate the domains (see previous InfoPowa reports).

The case has to date been aired in a district Kentucky court, before a panel of three judges in the Kentucky Court of Appeals and now before the Kentucky Supreme Court as Governor Steve Beshear’s outsourced lawyers attempt to reverse court decisions that have consistently gone against them.

Opposing the government’s appeal was the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, Inc., and the Interactive Gaming Council, two trade associations that have consistently opposed the state’s assault on the freedom of the internet and the owneship rights to domain names.

In his address to the court on Thursday, Eric Lycan, a private attorney representing the Kentucky Justice Cabinet argued: “They [the domain owners] have been using these [domains] to violate the law in Kentucky. They are subject to forfeiture.”

Attorneys for the state maintain that gambling over the Internet is illegal, and that the state has the authority to stop it from taking place within Kentucky’s borders. They say the companies — no matter where they’re based – should either block Kentucky residents’ access or face seizure from the state. And they claim that the domain names can be defined as “gambling devices” in terms of Kentucky law.

But, reports Associated Press, the attorneys representing the domain owners disagree, arguing that online gambling isn’t illegal in the state because the Kentucky General Assembly has not taken any specific action to declare it unlawful. Furthermore, the state doesn’t have jurisdiction over companies outside the state and domain names cannot be described as gambling machines or devices.

Attorney Bill Johnson, representing some of the domain owners, argued that the state has improperly mixed civil and criminal elements in the case.

“The ultimate issue in this case is whether a domain name is a gambling device under the statute,” Johnson told the court. “This case should have never proceeded in the beginning.”

Attorney Jon L. Fleischaker, who represented iMEGA, said state lawmakers have had the opportunity to make online gambling illegal and have not. Fleischaker also said his clients have not had the benefit of proper due process.

“It is mind-boggling,” Fleischaker told the court.

A ruling from the court is now awaited, and could take weeks or even months.

With the completion of the oral argments, the Poker Players Alliance – a players association with over a million members – issued a statement on the issue.

“I am very pleased with the arguments presented today supporting the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruling prohibiting the Commonwealth’s seizure of these domain names and I strongly believe we will prevail,” said executive director John Pappas. “This case is about more than playing poker online ? it’s about protecting Internet freedom and the individual rights of Kentucky residents.

“If the Commonwealth is truly interested in protecting consumers, it should put its energy in licensing and regulating online poker ? which would also bring in millions in revenue ? versus attempting to banish online poker through such a bold, broad and unlawful seizure.

“The PPA looks forward to a positive ruling from the Kentucky Supreme Court and hopes to work with lawmakers in the Commonwealth on the common sense solution of licensing and regulation.”

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

MEISTER MAIL – 30 October 2009

HALLOWEEN YOUTUBE SPECIAL!!!
Three Tales of Terror at YouTube!!!!
Three tales that will chill you to the bone…

“Hell’s Portal”
“Unlucky18”
“Dollar No Poker”

Enter the sanctum in Casinomeisterland…here…if you dare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgns6RcNSC4

WORD FROM THE FORUM

New Signature Policy

Recently there have been some issues about the signatures that some members have had in their User Profile. This has generated some debate and we have made some changes. Let’s cut to the chase:

As we know, only senior members and above are allowed to have URLs within their signatures (these aren’t only for Webmeisters btw) – these rules are applicable for all. These are the changes:

4.2 – Content Restrictions: If you list URLs, please do not post any ad-copy or advertisial language. The text may not be deceptive. It must be one color and not have more than VB +2 font size.

4.3 – Pseudo Signatures Members who post “pseudo” signatures (fake signatures) will have them removed. These members will be spanked. Don’t do it.

4.4 – Linked Websites The linked pages must not advertise casinos listed in the Rogue Pit. If Casinomeister subsequently rogues a casino, a webmaster is not obligated to remove that casino but will consider its positioning.

Strategy and System pages must not claim or imply that a player can beat a game with a house edge with this system or strategy. This refers to the Casinomeister Philosophy that all systems are bogus.

The websites linked via the signatures will not have any content that can be considered “offensive” (see rule 1.5). Linked-to sites must display ethical behavior. If members find questionable links, please contact Linkmeister Simmo! who will review the site.

The reason for these changes is that Casinomeister needs to uphold certain standards and should be a safe haven for players. Webmasters should not be using this site to market anything questionable or unethical. So from this point on, these guidelines are place for signature links.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!!

Exclusive Halloween Scratch Cards at Bet365!!
Just match the three symbols on their Spooky Scratch cards, and you may be entitled to claim your special Halloween Opening Bonus.

Simply make a first deposit/transfer into your Casino account of £50 or more and you will receive a 125% bonus, up to a fantastic £125.

Offer expires 8 November!

Terms and conditions apply – read them.

Any questions or comments can be directed toward their casino rep located here

Sorry no US

And now for the humor……

Two men were walking home after a night in the tavern and decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery to get to their homes quicker. In the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a tap-tap-tapping noise coming from the misty shadows. Trembling with fear, they found an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

“Good gracious, Sir,” one of them said after catching his breath, “You scared us half to death — we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night?”

“Those fools!” the old man grumbled. “They misspelled my name!”

ha ha ha!

AN INTERESTING EMPHASIS

Is Wagerworks anticipating a regulated market in the United States?

The latest press material from the UK-based online gambling software provider Wagerworks – a subsidiary of American gambling equipment giant IGT – provokes speculation that the company is optimistic about the chances of a more liberal and progressive Internet gambling policy evolving in the United States.

The material is an advisory that the company will showcase its products at this year’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas…and that the emphasis in its exhibit will be remote gaming.

The theme will be “Taking Gaming to the Next Level”, and WagerWorks will have on show products and brands migrated and adapted for online use from its parent IGT and sister company, Barcrest Group.

During G2E 2009, WagerWorks will present its latest online games incorporating unique game play and new levels of player excitement including Dungeons and Dragons: Crystal Caverns, Super Hoot Loot, Rainbow Riches Win Big Shindig, Transformers: Ultimate Payback and a full suite of mobile games including the recently launched Rainbow Riches Pots of Gold and Cleopatra (see previous InfoPowa report).

Continued delivery of top tier partner agreements over the past year is testament to the reputation WagerWorks has gained in the marketplace as a game provider, offering streams of game content in interactive digital television, mobile gaming and internet gaming markets, the material claims.

Newly signed online partners include St Minver, Jenningsbet, Talarius and Entergaming with additional distribution agreements established with Finsoft and GTS. Existing online customers, Sky and Rank, have also recently integrated mobile content, making WagerWorks games available to an even greater numbers of online and mobile players across multiple platforms.

Commenting on the prospects for Wagerworks at G2E 2009, Oliver Lofthouse, Director and General Manager at WagerWorks said, “Our presence at G2E reinforces the reputation of IGT as a leading provider of innovative and technology-driven solutions in the gaming market. “WagerWorks will have the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to offer great game content across multiple remote gaming channels. This is an exciting time for both companies as the remote gaming market evolves, and we look forward to meeting new and existing customers at this year’s show.”

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

More news here.

MEISTER MAIL VEGAS 2009 SPECIAL EDITION – 9 December 2009

Back in the Saddle…

I miss the States sometimes. I’ve been living abroad for ten years, and there are a number of things that are just not available where I live…Cheerios, good Salsa, Ziplock plastic freezer bags, the beaches, the desert, and Vegas!

Viva Las Vegas! It’s an experience that one can should withstand only for a few days. But it grows on you and beckons you for repeat visits that turn into private pilgrimages. Vegas – a people watchers paradise. Where the trailer trash merge with the American Bourgeoisie. The clientele of each hotel is a general reflection of itself – each catering to its own demographics. The Wynn’s Encore Hotel = upscale, and I felt like one of the privileged checking in…since I was bumped to Business Class for my Frankfurt flight. Wow! Talk about “How cool was that?!” I have been flying for years and finally was able to use my miles. Business on Lufthansa is pretty darn cool.

But I digress – Vegas – how surreal can you get? Take a walk on the strip – passing the Mexicans who flip their hooker flyers with their flippy stylin’ mode. They’ve been doing this for years, and I’ve always wondered to myself “why only Mexicans?” The Jesus preachers on the sidewalk – what better place to “save” someone but in Vegas?. Debutantes, families with toddlers, old people, Japanese tourists, newlyweds, drunk college kids, and typical middle class couples – they all converge in Vegas.

It grows on you and doesn’t let go.

And me? My mission was to attend the G2E for the first time in years, and hang out at the Wynn (and elsewhere) with good friends.

For years, the G2E has been touted as one of the largest gaming industry events held annually. And what better place but in Vegas? From 2001-2006 I attended these – I wasn’t able to make the last two shows due to other commitments. And unfortunately, with the US protectionistic laws, this event has always had a meager online casino presence. Compare this to the ICE held in London each year – one can see that Europe is the epicenter of progressiveness; the US is being left in the dust. The ICE is a major focal point for the online gaming industry: software providers, payment processors, licensing jurisdictions, affiliate marketers all have a strong presence there. Sadly, the US has yet to see the light – just visit the G2E and you’ll begin to understand.

I don’t think there was a single booth being manned by online industry reps. Since the beginning, there has always been a handful of software providers and industry reps sticking it out and manning the booths – giving out free stuff and demonstrating new games or something else worth looking at. This year was markedly different. It was completely void of online gaming presence. In fact, IGT didn’t even know where their Wager Works reps were – which I found odd since Wager Works has a strong presence in the US as well as in Europe. There was nothing Global about this exhibition; it was a primarily a US targeted audience.

I’m hoping that things will be much different next year.

But besides all that, it’s always interesting to see what innovations are sprouting up – especially for slot players since many of the new game developments are usually mimicked or mirrored online within a year or two (variations of bonus rounds, Multi-Strike games, etc.,) But honestly, there wasn’t much new in the “wow” zone.

I did see a cool 3D television that would blow your mind – that was about it.

Voice from the past – Vegas 2003
…But the highlight of the online gaming section showroom floor was Gonegambling’s booth. This was manned (or I should say womaned), by the multitalented Debbee Silverman – Gonegambling’s leading representative. The booth was awesome and really goes to show that casino portals can step up to the next level of the business platform by offering merchandise, player services, and marketing opportunities for the casino industry. Assisting Debbee was Ray St. Jon from Slotland and the Elvis Onion. Amazing stuff. They had a groovy selection of Gonegambling merchandise, hats, T-shirts, coffee cups, mousepads and pens. Helping myself to whatever I fancied (Debbee was too busy for me), I noticed that on their kiosk table, her laptop screensaver was actually a slideshow from last January’s ICE in London. Debbee looked up and noticed. “Ha!” she exclaimed, pointing out that I was wearing the same shirt as on the first night of the ICE convention. “Can’t afford anymore shirts!” she said and we had a little chuckle. A crowd had gathered around the computer…but then all went silent as the next picture appeared…click here to read more
I spent a little time chatting with Michael Corfman by his Casino City stand. We talked a bit about the absence of the online casino industry – but keeping a rumor in the forefront of our conversation – there was talk of an entire section dedicated to the online community scheduled for next year. Juxtaposed against the other BIG casino industry event – the ICE in London – I think it would still be rather weak. The ICE has a massive section devoted to the i-Gaming industry. It always has and (I believe) always will. But this just goes to show the difference between being progressive and being protectionistic. I am skeptical of the G2E being able to convince the online industry to participate fully in future events.

Even so, I’m looking forward to next year’s G2E – perhaps we’ll see the US eat a little crow. If you don’t believe that online poker is on the way to be legalized in the States in the near future, you may be surprised. Also, I honestly feel that the major brick and mortar casinos are positioning themselves to go online. They should be preparing themselves because competition for the US gambler will be fierce.

Leaving the conference, there was a small protest outside advocating a Smoke Free casino environment. There was a spokeswoman who was a casino waitress for over 20 years, never smoked in her life, and was in a fourth stage of lung cancer. She brought up a number of interesting facts: four out of five gamblers do not smoke – the casinos that fear that people will stop gambling is unfounded. In fact, more people would probably enjoy coming to the casinos if they knew they were smoke free. Many poker rooms and poker tournaments are smoke free because of player complaints. More information here: Smokefreegaming.org

So – it was back to the casino hanging out with my buddies Simmo!, Greedygirl, and Spearmaster – who all smoke by the way. And since the GPWA was holding a get-together at the Stratosphere, we were able to meet up with a number of other webmasters and friends. Some of whom I’ve never met before – and it was good putting faces to names. We had a handful of get-togethers during the week.

On the casino floor – new cool games: Wizard of Oz and Star Trek slots that immerse you into a surround-sound effect via a wired up gaming chair. It vibrates with the action and is a pretty cool item. Another addictive game that is relatively new are the John Wayne’s Spinning Streak slots.

Warning: these games are like Hoovers (the vacuum cleaner y’know). When you make a decent hit, bail out quickly. These games bank on keeping you there glued to your seat and will suck your bank roll right out of your wallet.

Voice from the past – Vegas 2004
LEAVING LAS VEGAS…. It’s not as easy as it seems – leaving. It’s always like there is something left to do. And it’s also hard leaving the friends that I always end up hooking up with; forces from Reviewed Casinos, GoneGambling’s Greedy Girl, Ted Loh and numerous others.

Squelching a rumour: It was reported in Reviewed Casinos Newsletter that I was witnessed throwing away a beer in a trash can at the Rio Casino.

Fact:
It was not a beer; it was a Corona. I had drank about half of this yellow liquid when it suddenly occurred to me that this was not beer. It was a mockery of a beer. My instincts were to throw it into the trash – which I did without hesitation or after-thought.
Leaving Vegas 2009, I had a short road trip across Central California – a meditative moment by Lake Isabella; then up to Monterey for a couple of days, and then down to LA. My homeland and my family – it was good to be there and way too short.

And it was Business Class again for the entire trip back. I be stylin’.

Photographic Proof here

MEISTER MAIL – 11 December 2009

Return to Player…

Every casino software includes “Return to Player” percentages – or RTP – which is theoretically a percentage of funds that are returned to the player during playthrough. In other words – if a game is set at 95% – you’re bound to lose 5 cents for every dollar bet. Land based casinos have this set at anywhere from 75% (Vegas minimum limit) to 99% or beyond (unlikely). The Wizard has an informative guide for slots of the Las Vegas casinos here – the chart that includes the casino percentages is a little dated, but it gives you a good rundown on what to expect. The average Vegas RTP is around 90%.

The RTP for land based casinos are controlled by regulatory commissions and jurisdictions. Online casinos deal with this a bit differently.

In most cases, controlling the RTP falls into the hands of the software providers. Sometimes licensing jurisdictions require the RTP to be displayed for each game, Alderney for one. They require the RTP to be listed on the casinos’ games rules’ page. That’s about it.

With this in mind, I have a proposal – perhaps casino software companies would be willing to install a gadget in their games that would display the current RTP. This would add another level of transparency that we all could use right now. In our forum, there is a discussion thread and poll that asks the question “Should expected returns on individual games should be published”. I would appreciate it if you’d take a couple of minutes to answer the poll.

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/34897-transparency-published-expected-returns-game.html

http://wizardofvegas.com/guide/slots/

WORD FROM THE FORUM

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE VIA OUR FORUM

Get involved!!

Did you know that you can cast votes for “Best Posting of the Week” and the winner will have $100 donated to a charity of his or her choice listed here.

It’s easy, if you like a particular posting or blog post – you can vote on it by clicking the “Vote” button. If other members feel the same way, they can add their votes as well. More information is here.

ATTENTION WEBMEISTER’S!!

Are you an ex-affiliate of the Grand Privé affiliate program? Do you or do you feel that you are owed money or have a claim against this group? If so, please file a complaint at eCOGRA located here: http://www.ecogra.org/grandprive.aspx

This is a special dispute form and the deadline is 21 December 2009 – time is ticking away so get off of your butt and file a claim!!

And please feel free to join the discussion here. We’d like to hear how this has or has not affected you.

See you there!

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/casino-industry-discussion/34941-press-release-new-hope-grand-prive-affiliates.html

And now for the humor……

On Christmas morning a cop on horseback is sitting at a traffic light, and next to him is a kid on his brand new bike. The cop says to the kid, “Nice bike you got there. Did Santa bring that to you?” The kid says, “Yeah.”

The cop says, “Well, next year tell Santa to put a tail-light on that bike.” The cop then proceeds to issue the kid a $20.00 bicycle safety violation ticket.

The kid takes the ticket and before the cop rides off says, “By the way, that’s a nice horse you got there. Did Santa bring that to you?” Humoring the kid, the cop says, “Yeah, he sure did.”

The kid says, “Well, next year tell Santa to put the dick underneath the horse, instead of on top.”

ha ha ha

MEISTER MAIL – 18 December 2009

X-Mas Meister Style…

Next week is the winter solstice and chill time in Meisterland – looking forward to our Xmas video where we’ll be reviewing who is naughty or nice, and of course free egg nog*. During this period – some updates to the site will be made – and of course the finalization of Casinomeister 2009 awardees and awards will be made. Have any more input for me? The thread Casinomeister Awards 2009 is still open for suggestions. Post them here.

January looks like an interesting month topped off with the London ICE and London Affiliate Conference where I’ll be moderating a discussion panel “What Do Players Want?” Max Drayman our “Pitch a Bitch” manager will be there as well as three of our more prolific and long time members of our forum: Vinylweatherman, Slotster!, and thelawnet. Remarkably, this is the first time players have ever been included in a panel discussion. Funny since this industry revolves around the player – it’s about time. If you are an affiliate – or an operator or affiliate manager – you need to be there. Registration is free (for affiliates) – sign up here.

• must be present to win

https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/online-casinos/34499-its-time-year-again-casinomeister-awards.html

http://www.londonaffiliateconference.com/

ATTENTION – SCROOGES!!

Tired of being accused of “Scroogeness” every Christmas? REDEEM YOURSELF AT MY WISHLIST!! Yes! Now is your chance to become a better person by buying me something at my Amazon.co.uk wishlist!! Just imagine experiencing the pleasure of giving, and giving generously. Don’t be a Scrooge! C’mon! What are you waiting for!!!

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=wish

BAPTISM BY FIRE

Pending Accredited Casinos: before a casino earns its full Accreditation, it enters the “Baptism by Fire” section. They remain there for 60 days as newbies – and it’s during this time that members are encouraged to discuss their experiences in our forum, and after two months and all is well, these casinos become fully “Accredited”.

And now for the humor……

You Know You’ve Had Too Much Christmas Cheer When…

1. You notice your tie sticking out of your fly.
2. Someone uses your tongue for a coaster.
3. You start kissing the portraits on the wall.
4. You see your underwear hanging from the chandelier.
5. You have to hold on to the floor to keep from sliding off.
6. You strike a match and light your nose.
7. You take off your shoes and wade in the potato salad.
8. You hear someone say, “Call a priest!”
9. You hear a duck quacking and it’s you.
10. You complain about the small bathroom after emerging from the closet.
11. You refill your glass from the fish bowl.
12. You tell everyone you have to go home… and the party’s at your place.
13. You ask for another ice cube and put it in your pocket.
14. You yawn at the biggest bore in the room… and realize you’re in front of the hall mirror.
15. You pick up a roll, and butter your watch.
16. You suggest everyone stand and sing the national budget.
17. You’re at the dinner table and you ask the hostess to pass a bedpan.
18. You take out your handkerchief and blow your ear.
19. You tell your best joke to the rubber plant.
20. You realize you’re the only one under the coffee table.

ha ha ha (hic!)

MEISTER MAIL – 23 December 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
X-Mas Meister Style…

Casinomeister’s Christmas Special!! – 23 December 2009.
Join the Cheermeister and partake in jovial jocularities here.

NEVER BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!! Subscribe to our videos here!! You’ll be automatically emailed whenever a video is uploaded!! I guarantee that these videos will make you a smarter, better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHI-bgbR_Vwhttps://www.youtube.com/user/casinomeister

ATTENTION – SCROOGES!!

Tired of being accused of “Scroogeness” every Christmas? REDEEM YOURSELF AT MY WISHLIST!! Yes! Now is your chance to become a better person by buying me something at my Amazon.co.uk wishlist!! Just imagine experiencing the pleasure of giving, and giving generously. Don’t be a Scrooge! C’mon! What are you waiting for!!!

https://www.casinomeister.com/goto.php?c=wish

And now for the humor……

A man and his wife are sitting at the kitchen table, which is next to the window. The man’s name is Rudolph, and since he is Russian, people call him “Rudolph the Red.” Rudolph looked out the window and said to his wife, “Oh look honey, it’s raining outside.” She looks out as well and says, “No, I think that is snow.” He looks at her and says, “Rudolph the red knows rain dear.”
but I just had to tell it!

But on another Christmasy note, check out the History Channel’s website on the makings of Christmas and where these traditions come from. http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/christmas/index.html. Fascinating stuff.