iGaming Business – Online payments provider Optimal Payments has announced the launch of its NETELLER online payment processing service in the US. The NETELLER service and Net Plus Card will allow US consumers to take advantage of a service that is already available to customers in other regions outside of the US. Optimal Payments said that the new service would allow US customers to “safely and conveniently” pay and receive funds for both products and services online. The company will work through a federally-issued US financial institution sponsor to bring the services to the US market. Joel Leonoff, president and…

iGaming Business – The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has launched a formal investigation into an advert from bookmaker Paddy Power that offered betting odds on the outcome of the ongoing murder trial of Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius. The athlete is currently on trial in South Africa accused of the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013. Paddy Power is offering people the chance to bet on the outcome of the trial, with the advert in question featuring an offer for those who place a bet. The advert appeared in national press, as well as on Paddy Power’s…

iGaming Business – Online gambling marketing firm Cashcade, the owner of the Foxy Bingo and Cheeky Bingo internet bingo brands, has awarded its media planning and buying contract to full media communications agency UM London. The Brand Republic website reports that the contract, which was awarded after a competitive pitch, is worth £8 million (€9.7 million/$13.3 million). The appointment will see Cashcade move from independent media agency Concord, but would not affect Foxy Bingo’s creative shop, The Biscuit Agency. UM London has begun working with the brands and has already negotiated the renewal of Foxy Bingo’s sponsorship deal with The…

Playtech founder Teddy Sagi is to sell £212 million (€257.6 million/$353 million) worth of shares in the online gaming software supplier, a sale that would amount to 10% of his stake in the firm. The Reuters news agency reported that Sagi’s Brickington Trading company would sell 29.3 million shares at 735 pence each through a secondary offer. The sale would leave Sagi and Brickington Trading with a 39% stake in the Playtech company. The company said that the placing, the book for which will close no later than the end of trading on Wednesday, would allow for increased liquidity in…

iGaming Business – Social gaming company Zynga is to ‘soft launch’ three updated versions of its core mobile titles as part of an effort to boost its presence in the mobile gaming sector. According to the Reuters news agency, ‘FarmVille 2: Country Escape’ went live on Monday of this week while updated versions of ‘Zynga Poker’ and ‘Words With Friends’ will be rolled out by the end of June. FarmVille 2: Country Escape includes a number of new elements such as a virtual goods exchange while players will also be able to play offline. Zynga said the new versions of…

Philly.com – Having proposed and then scrapped a plan to build a casino in Atlantic City, the Seminole Indian tribe of Florida appears to be interested in the New Jersey gambling market again. The tribe, through its Hard Rock franchise, has made filings with state casino regulators indicating it may take another shot at establishing a presence here. Hard Rock, the global casino and entertainment company, asked New Jersey gambling regulators for a ruling on whether the tribe would need to qualify for a casino license should the company acquire or build one here. The company has been rumored for…