Gaming Intelligence – The Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling (SCG) has moved a step closer to issuing more online gaming licences with the launch of a list of labs certified to test gaming equipment and software, while at the same time the commission has expanded its existing blacklist of unlicensed operators. A meeting held yesterday saw the SCG approve BMM Testlabs and Gaming Laboratories International (GLI Europe BV) as its first approved testing centres. SOURCE

Poker News – According to various reports, Bodog Asia offices in the Philippines were raided on Thursday. CalvinAyre.com, a site headed by Bodog founder Calvin Ayre, reports that several employees are sequestered in a boardroom and police are asking for names and addresses. PerformInsider.com reports that the raid was made based on political pressure from “Gangster Governor” Chavit Singson. The site also says that the police had a warrant that accused Bodog of offering gambling on a “street level.” Bodog doesn’t provide gaming in the Philippines. The report by CalvinAyre.com suggests that the raid wasn’t led by Singson, but rather…

Poker News – New Jersey’s soft launch of iGaming was set to begin on Nov. 21, 2013 at 6 p.m., and in anticipation the Division of Gaming Enforcement has issued Orders to Internet Gaming Permit Holders the recognize the companies that have completed all required testing. Originally, six Atlantic City casinos — Borgata, Tropicana, Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, Caesars Atlantic City, and Bally’s Atlantic City — were issued permits, but the Golden Nugget was not. The Golden Nugget did receive a late approval, though, and was cleared to take part in the soft launch. According to Jennifer Bogdan of…

Just days before the New Jersey online gambling experiment goes live, the lawmaker responsible for pushing the issue in the first place is setting his sights on global gamblers. State Senator Raymond Lesniak plans to introduce a bill that would let international companies set up shop in New Jersey and then offer online gambling to people located outside the U.S. The idea is to play on America’s reputation for financial security: Legal gambling operations headquartered in New Jersey would presumably appear less likely to make off with customers’ money or crumble under shifting regulations. Lest he might fail to establish…

Poker News – New Jersey’s Internet gambling five-day soft launch is underway, and the failure of banks and credit card companies to process transactions has proven to be an early hurdle. After the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was enacted in 2006, many institutions implemented systems to reject gambling transactions, but now that individual states are legalizing online gaming, banks and credit card companies must adapt once again. Bloomberg originally reported that Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co., American Express Co., and Paypal refuse to allow online gaming transactions due to previously established guidelines or out of fear…

Philly.com – New Jersey approved two additional casinos Wednesday to conduct Internet gambling, bringing the total to seven so far. But last-minute testing that was to continue late into the night might knock some out of the running for Thursday night’s launch of a five-day test period, also called soft play. David Rebuck, director of the state Division of Gaming Enforcement, said his office was testing the systems of the seven casinos. Each Internet permit authorizes a holder to run up to five gambling websites; the division will issue a list of those that made the final cut Thursday. “All…