The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation (NSGC) has launched new software aimed at addressing what it sees as the growing problem of underage gambling.

Called BetStopper, the program claims to be the first to block children’s access to gambling content on the Internet.

The release of the software comes after the organisation launched a world-first pilot-test of the unique content blocking software in October 2006. 

250 participants in the pilot study installed the software on their home computers for a period of six months and completed two surveys that allowed NSGC to evaluate changes in perception, attitude and behaviour resulting from use of the software.

 The BetStopper program which claims to be the first of its kind in the world is offered as a free download and works by looking for gaming URLs and gaming language within the websites online. According to the Company, results have shown it to be 98% effective in blocking gambling websites.

 The software also includes security features such as automated telephone and email notifications which are sent to parents to notify them of each attempted connection to an online gambling site.

According to NSGC, the results of the study showed that use of the software increased awareness about underage gambling by 80%, with 92% of the pilot participants finding it an effective tool in combating underage gambling.

The introduction of national lotteries, new casinos, the increase of electronic gaming machines, and the introduction of remote gambling (e.g., Internet gambling, mobile phone gambling, interactive television gambling), has greatly increased the accessibility and popularity of gambling all over the world.

Problem gambling generally begins in adolescence and may start following a major life stress. Problem gambling occurs as a result of many different influences including biological, psychological and sociological factors.

Written for OnlineBingoReviews.com by Joy

Demonstrating the softening attitude towards online gambling in the U.S, Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall, yesterday rang the closing bell of the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York.

Betsson, which is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Stock Exchange in Stockholm, is one of the fastest growing publicly listed online gaming companies in Europe. In the course of 2007, Betsson’s stock value increased by over 380% as a result of the company’s strong performance in the gaming sector.

Mr. Lindwall presided over the closing bell ceremony on Wednesday at the NASDAQ Marketsite broadcast studio in New York’s Times Square.

Another area where winds of change are imminent is the National Football League (NFL). Faced with diminishing revenues as a result of the economic crisis in the U.S, club owners of the NFL voted unanimously last week in favour of allowing individual teams to sign deals with state -sponsored lotteries.

The change in policy was approved 32-0 by NFL club owners last Wednesday on 20th May, 2009.

Under the new rule, NFL clubs will be allowed to use their logos on lottery scratch-cards for the first time, with the ruling taking effect in time for the start of the 2009 NFL season in August.

Just days after the new rule was approved, both the Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots have reached agreements with the Virginia Lottery and Massachusetts State Lottery respectively, both of which will launch licensed NFL instant tickets for the 2009 season. Other teams are also said to be in talks with their respective state lotteries.

Having been a staunch supporter of the UIGEA and vocally anti-gambling, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was quick to deny charges that the changes would have an impact on the link between football and gambling.

Written for OnlineBingoReviews.com by Joy

Responding to calls for legislative intervention to protect the country’s TABs from competition in the market for betting on racing, Betfair says it is dismayed but not surprised by the stance of Australian Racing Board Chairman Bob Bentley. Bentley also serves as Director of the Tatts Group which operates the TABs in Queensland and South Australia.

ARB Chairman Bob Bentley launched a scathing attack last Thursday on the Australian government, corporate bookmakers and Betfair, claiming that the industry faces “the greatest challenge in our lifetime” due to “the rapid growth of new types of Australian wagering providers, corporate bookmakers and betting exchanges”.

Bentley said that the industry was facing an annual loss of AUD$126 million in betting related revenues and called for all gambling operators to pay a product fee to the state jurisdiction where the wagering is taking place.

Bentley said that the current commercial agreements under which the gambling operators pay product fees to the industry were arrived at in tripartite negotiations involving the government, industry and licence holders. He said the racing industry was acknowledged as the content originator that made the wagering business possible and product fees were set that delivered fair returns back to the industry. This is in complete contrast to newer types of wagering providers who refuse to recognise the right of the racing industry to set its own prices for wagering.

Countering Bentley’s claims, Betfair said that since being licensed in Australia, the company had paid 35% of its gross revenues on racing in product fees and taxes to the Tasmanian Racing Industry, and reiterated its stance that it would pay “what the TAB’s pay”.

Betfair highlighted that the TABs pay all product fees and taxes to Queensland and South Australia, but nothing to racing bodies in other jurisdictions. Betfair that Mr Bentley and his NSW counterparts wanted a shift to a turnover-based model as opposed to a percentage of gross revenues as it favours the TABs.

“Mr Bentley’s calls for federal legislation to allow the racing industry to protect the TABs aren’t surprising given his dual roles as Chairman of the ARB and Director of the Tatts Group which operates the TABs in Queensland and South Australia,” said Betfair CEO Andrew Twaits.

Mr Twaits said that the ARB’s use of the Productivity Commission inquiry as a platform to promote an anti-competitive agenda was “highly inappropriate”. Twaits said that the real question racing industry stakeholders should be asking the sport’s administrators is what plans they have to address the massive losses of market share the sport has experienced over the past 25 years.

Twaits added that it should be of no interest to the racing industry whether customers spend their gambling money with the TABs, bookmakers or Betfair, so long as each of those operators agrees to pay the same percentage of that customer’s expenditure to the racing industry as a product fee.

Betfair also quoted the latest official Australian gambling Statistics, compiled by the QLD Treasury, which show that racing’s market share suffered its greatest setback before betting exchanges and corporate bookmakers even existed.

Written for OnlineBingoReviews.com by Joy