Russian authorities have updated the country’s Internet blacklist nearly 600 different websites, including online poker sites, in an operation that some consider to be the first step of a major crackdown on online gambling. With a standard procedure that is usually adopted for censoring websites promoting child pornography and illegal drugs, on March 21, Russia’s Internet Service Providers (ISPs) blocked access to a large number of online gambling sites including international giants like PokerStars, partypoker, Unibet and Titan Poker. “The request came straight from the prosecutor office,” said Maxim Ksenzov, the deputy head of Russia’s federal telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor, when…

Malta Today – Dragonara Gaming Limited, the operator of the foremost casino in Malta, and Poker Travel Israel, one of the leading international poker group travel operators, have signed a long-term collaboration agreement through which poker and casino players from Israel and Central Europe will be visiting the Dragonara Casino to participate in various organized events. The collaboration between Dragonara and Poker Travel started earlier last year and has already seen hundreds of players from Israel visiting Malta, especially during the tourism shoulder months. The collaboration will now be extended for players from central Europe as special ‘travel’ packages have…

Card Player – There are currently two bills on the table that could bring online poker to California and obviously, PokerStars wants in. California has a population of 38 million, roughly 14 times that of Nevada. With a state by state patchwork of online poker legislation in the works, the Golden State is one of the most sought after markets in the country. The site has reportedly entered negotiations with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, who operate the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon. While the Morongos may be the best way to get PokerStars’ foot in the…

Online poker players in Nevada and Delaware may get Interstate poker and be competing against each other as early as this summer. After forging the nation’s first interstate agreement last month, Delaware Governor Jack Markell and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval are aiming for the new online poker scheme to be up and running in just a few months. Previously, the end of 2014 had been mentioned as the target, but that projection has been shortened. Both states could use the increased liquidity, as both are in the lower third of the nation in population. Delaware ranks nearly at the bottom…

Las Vegas Review Journal – Early projections of a massive swell of cash from legalized online gaming may have been overly optimistic, but regulation launched a breakthrough in the gambling world, Ultimate Gaming’s top executives told a crowd of about 200 on Thursday at the iGaming North America 2014 conference. In a joint keynote speech at Planet Hollywood, the company’s chairman Tom Breitling and CEO Tobin Prior pushed for extended legislation across the country. While creating new jobs, the sites can be trusted and taxed, they said. “Regulation now means victory,” Prior said. The two highlighted lessons the company learned…

Poker News – Belgium’s Gambling Commission has doubled the number of inspectors on its staff, which could lead to a hunt for players on non-licensed gambling sites. “The Belgian Gambling Commission (BGC) reportedly announced that it would extend its actions to online players,” said Patrick Van Eecke and Antoon Dierick from international law firm DLA Piper. “It will be interesting to see how far the BGC wishes to go in fining individual players and whether the Public Prosecution office is also willing to make infringements in this area a matter of prosecution priority.” DLA Piper’s words were triggered by some…