iGaming Business – Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gambling regulator, has fined online gaming provider Global Stars €100,000 ($132,000) for targeting consumers in the Netherlands without a licence to operate in the country. The watchdog said that the Curaçao-based company established a service that focused on the Dutch market through the Myglobalgames.com, Boekjesbingo.nl and Myglobalgames.nl websites between June 2012 and May 2013. According to the regulator, the company targeted customers in the Netherlands by using Dutch on their websites and using the ‘.nl’ country code at the end of internet domain names. The watchdog added that the fine would represent “a clear…

iGaming Business – Bubble Group BV, trading as gaming developer Sheriff Gaming, has had its Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) licence suspended pending a regulatory hearing. The AGCC inquiry was prompted to act following an investigation into the three executives behind the company by the Dutch Prosecuting Authority, Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelauthoriteit and Dutch Tax Authority. Michel Gregoire, Maurice Gregoire and Stijn Flapper were being investigated for alleged involvement in the operation of seven online gambling websites that targeted Dutch residents without a licence, which the local authorities forbid. Sheriff Gaming is now required to immediately suspend its operations until the…

Research and Markets – Though the gaming industry is still at an emergent stage in India, it offers immense growth potential. A growing percentage of young population, steadily rising disposable incomes, surge in the use of personal computers and mobile phones, rise in potential customers like housewives and a burgeoning number of game developers are some of the major driving factors propelling the industry’s growth. The global gaming industry is constantly evolving with the introduction of new technologies, which, in turn, has had a domino effect on India. The domestic market is also witnessing a constant rise in the demand…

Australian Hotelier – As more and more countries legislate around the issue of online gaming, Australians are increasingly sending their gambling dollars overseas while Government sits on the quiet side of the virtual fence. The borderless nature of the internet means that while it is prohibited for Australian-based interactive gaming services to operate from this country, people online here are free to access these sites based in other countries. TheShout spoke with the Gaming Technologies Association (GTA) about the divergence between harm-minimising regulation and reality in internet gambling. “Australia had the chance to set up a harm-free, licensed and properly…

Press Release – The Social Gaming Association and the International Social Games Coalition are pleased to announce the merger of their respective organizations to create a unified international voice to educate the public and policy makers on the social games industry and to represent and further the interests of the industry. The newly consolidated organization, to be named the International Social Games Association (ISGA), will represent social games companies worldwide, from established global operators to up-and-coming start-ups. The ISGA will provide a powerful and effective voice for the global social games industry at a time when many changes in the…

Press Release – BetCoin ™ Bitcoin Entertainment Network is upping the ante this month and continues to expand their casino operation, responding to a huge influx of new players with several new innovations. As the world of bitcoin gaming and online bitcoin casinos continues to gain momentum, BetCoin ™ (http://betcoin.tm)stays ahead of the curve by utilizing their unparalleled drive for creating the best bitcoin gaming options available. They have announced several major upgrades to existing products, including a patented and secure user verification technology and a unification of player leagues with monthly prizes totaling thousands of bitcoins. BetCoin ™ will…