eGaming Review February 2012 | Page 3

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor James Bennett T: [phone] E: [email protected] Reporter Tom Victor T: [phone] E: [email protected] Reporter Robin Harrison Millan T: [phone] E: [email protected] PRODUCTION Production editor Claudia Honerjager E: [email protected] Art editor Toni Giddings E: [email protected] Sub-editors Rachel Kurz?eld Eleanor Stanley COMMERCIAL Commercial manager Ben Robinson T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing executive Sam Compagnoni T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing executive Navinder Lall T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing executive Debbie Robson T: [phone] E: [email protected] Editorial director Gwyn Roberts Chief executive Charlie Kerr Circulation manager Fay Muddle Subscriptions Clark Beecroft T: [phone] E: [email protected] Emmanuel Nettey T: [phone] E: [email protected] Product Reviewer Catriona Campbell E: [email protected] Reviews were carried out by Shilpi Dahele at Foviance, a customer experience consultancy that has worked across a wide range of online gaming products areas and helps companies understand online customer behaviours. EDITOR'S LETTER The US Department of Justice gave the gaming industry a much needed boost at the end of a very tough 2011. As its policy department clari?ed (see p26), and as we all now know, the 1961 Wire Act only refers to and concerns sports betting – cue state politicians, lobbyists and lawyers, US land-based casino groups and US and European software suppliers suddenly setting their alarms for 2am on Christmas morning in order to forge a plan of attack for a concerted intrastate push this year. • Lobbyists and lawyers across some of the states that have seen egaming bills either kiboshed (California and Florida) or vetoed (New Jersey) have rapidly resurfaced to advise, consult and convince (for a handsome fee) the country’s most powerful politicians that they should re-attempt to force a piece of legislation through in the next 12 months. • US casinos that have yet to sign a deal with an established European operator or B2B player will all soon rush to do so. • Meanwhile, software suppliers on either side of the Pond that haven’t already spent close to US$600m will be relishing the thought of discussing possible tie-ups with a less than prepared US land-based sector. By the time you read this magazine, the Nevada Gaming Commission will be in full swing, receiving supplier (888, IGT, Bally Tech, Cantor Gaming, South Point Poker, Shuffle Master, and Aristocrat) and operator (South Point Casino, Monarch Gaming) licence applications and rapidly assessing them before announcing who has successfully gained access to a soon-to-launch regulated online poker market. And, if his wish comes true, New Jersey’s Senator Lesniak looks well on the way to persuading Governor Chris Christie to allow poker and possibly even online casino. As gaming lawyer Anthony Cabot says in his column on p16, a regulated US market is no longer a possibility, it is “assured”. eGaming Review is published monthly by Pageant Media, 1 East Poultry Avenue London, EC1A 9PT ISSN 1742-2450 Printed by The Manson Group © 2012 all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used without the prior permission from the publisher James Bennett EDITOR 03