iGaming Business – Financial services providers Mastercard, Visa and PayPal have reached a voluntary agreement with the Gambling Commission to block payment transactions with unlicensed gambling websites when new laws come into force in the UK. Speaking in the House of Lords, Baroness Jolly confirmed the three providers had made the agreement with the regulatory body despite members of the House rejecting an amendment to the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill. As reported by iGaming Business, the House of Lords voted 171 for and 185 against an amendment that would have allowed the Gambling Commission to block financial transactions between…

Mass Live – Attorney General Martha Coakley on Thursday came out against a bill allowing online gambling because it would open the door to the use of credit cards to buy Lottery products. The bill was sponsored by Treasurer Steve Grossman. Coakley’s comments opened up a new issue in the 2014 gubernatorial race, in which Coakley and Grossman are the two leading Democratic candidates. Grossman had recently attacked Coakley for her positions on criminal justice issues. Coakley’s statements indicate that she plans to be equally aggressive against Grossman, focusing on his work as treasurer. Coakley did not mention Grossman in…

Calvin Ayre – French online gambling operator Betclic Everest Group has prevailed in its legal challenge of Pari Mutuel Urbain’s (PMU) practice of pooling its land-based and online horseracing wagers. Betclic filed its complaint in 2012 with the French Competition Authority over the PMU.fr site’s ability to leverage PMU’s mammoth retail wagering presence, which has allowed PMU to capture 85% of the country’s horse wagering market. The former betting monopoly has been given until Sept. 30, 2015 to erect a wall between its online and retail liquidity. Betclic is enjoying less favorable legal outcomes in Belgium, where the Public Prosecution…

iGaming Business – The Finland Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy has outlined new measures to help strengthen the country’s gambling monopoly. Under the new measures, the Cabinet Committee is to set up a digital monitoring group in order to analyse ways of preventing operations that violate the Finnish Lotteries Act. As part of this strategy, the Cabinet Committee examined the possibility of tackling illegal marketing through the criteria set of for radio and television licences, which are granted by the government. The Committee said that at this stage, financial transfers will not be proposed as a primary instrument and alternative…

Philly.com – Internet gambling analysts and casino executives say the increased use of cellphones to place bets could accelerate the growth of the nascent industry in the state. “Mobile applications will play an enormous piece of the puzzle in online wagering, which is why we are so positive and see so much upside in months ahead,” said Joe Lupo, senior vice president of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which began offering gambling Monday over Android cellphones on 3G and 4G networks. Lupo’s casino also allows phones using WiFi connections to access its online gambling sites. The casinos won $7.4…

Las Vegas Sun – At least 10 U.S. states are considering bills to legalize or expand Internet gambling this year, according to a group that tracks gambling-related legislation worldwide. But the Gambling Compliance survey also finds slim chances for a national law to regulate Internet poker, predicting a major effort by online gambling opponents to block it in Congress. So far, three states allow Internet gambling: New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. The report says proposals for new or expanded Internet betting could be considered in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. “In 2013, 10…