Unwind by Playing Online Games

Would you believe that today's hardcore workaholic professionals never misses to plough his farm and water his plants? You better believe it because such professionals are playing online games like Farmville, Mafia Wars etc to de-stress themselves.

Such professionals are mushrooming and psychologists also agree that playing online games is a great stress buster, of course if not overdone. Some of the popular games that are popular among the professionals today are Texas Poker, Mafia wars, Mind Jolt, Rummy and FarmVille.

Support for Online Gambling in India

Now this is an interesting reaction to the recent cricket scandal involving three Pakistani players, and perhaps it’s ultimately the most rational one possible. No less an authority than the U.K. government has reportedly backed the full legalization of sports betting – and particularly online sportsbooks – in India.

Sports betting in India is illegal but after the recent match fixing contoversy that involved three Pakistani players, interesting suggestions and reactions have come up and a big authority like the U.K. Government itself has said that sports betting should be legalized in India and specially online sports books in India.

Tiger Woods Rejects Offer from Online Gambling Operator

After over a dozen of Tiger Woods’ extra-marital affairs came forward to the press, the golfer was dropped by several of his sponsors, which contributed to his $110 million income last year. Gillette and Gatorade are among the companies of whom Woods is now a former spokesperson, eliminating a large portion of the golfer’s earnings for the upcoming year. But, it seems that he is not too worried about his financial future, as he has just rejected a $75 million offer from an online gambling operator.

Paddy Power, an online betting website based in Ireland, recently offered Woods a $75 million sponsorship campaign over 5 years. The company believed that now was an opportune moment to make their offer to Woods, who would have generated a great deal of interest in Paddy Power's products. The company stated that Woods was a sports figure with which it would be happy to become aligned, and the opportunity would have been a beneficial one for both sides.

The deal would have undoubtedly compensated for the loss of Woods' previous sponsors, but the living sports legend has decided to reject the offer. Woods' agency has stated that it is not interested in taking on any new sponsors for their client at this current point in time.

Paddy Power remains hopeful, however. The company has stated that they will prepare an enhanced offer, this time keeping the details under wraps.

Online Gambling News, March 2010

Online gambling outlets hurting land-based casinos

The number of Americans that visited casinos was down a whopping five percent in 2009 compared to the previous year, according to a study released by the Mintel International Group.

The recent economic crisis certainly played a part in that decline, but the report by Mintel also speculated that many gamblers are turning to online wagering portals to quench their thirst.

The study states that approximately 27 percent of players are visiting Indian casinos, 24 percent are in Las Vegas and another 12 percent in Atlantic City. It also revealed that 12 percent of Americans claimed to have visited an online gambling site within the last year.

Mintel’s study suggested that the land-based casinos have taken a hit because of the advancement in HD television as well as the overall improvement of the online gaming industry.

Online Gambling News, March 2010

Mobile Online Gambling Surge In South Africa

Their has been a huge surge in mobile online gambling in South Africa. It is estimated that over 500,000 citizens are actively gambling online and most of these players are gambling over their mobile phones. This may be due to the fact that more South Africans have access to a mobile phone for gambling, and less access to a laptop or desktop computer.

The National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) in South Africa has stated that the online gambling market is worth over R800 million per year and that this figure continues to grow. Online casino software providers have been investing heavily in new technology to bring some of the most advanced casino games to mobile phone users. Playtech just recently announced the development of new applications that will focus on mobile gaming.

South Africa has been moving towards legal online gambling, but they are moving at a very slow and cautious pace. While the market continues to grow, the SA politicians continue to study the industry and debate on whether or not to legalize the activity.

The current gambling laws in South Africa are unclear when it comes to online gambling, and new legislation needs to be adopted to clarify the laws. Online gambling operators continue to accept South African bets due to the unclear law and lack of enforcement.

Online Gaming News, March 2010