. . . we are quickly working towards migrating to a new software platform that will support our efforts to provide security and stability to all USA players.

We have received notice from our poker software provider that as of Wednesday, October 29th, they will begin blocking connections from 13 U.S. states based on IP address.

If your internet service provider is based in one of the following 13 states, you may or may not be affected by this change:

Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, Washington and Kentucky.

Blocked connections will receive an error message upon attempting to login to the poker client. Please read the Common Concerns below and if you feel your connection to the poker client is being blocked in error, please contact customer service immediately at support@dbpn.com so that we may assist you in logging into your account.

Common Concerns:

1. I am not in one of the states above will there be any difference in my connecting to the poker client?
   No, your account will not be affected.
2. What is an IP address?
   An IP address is assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). All users of the internet are assigned an IP address. This address can be used to roughly determine the geographic location of your ISP. The address returned from a lookup of your IP address is actually the address of your ISP rather than your physical address. This discrepancy may cause some players that are not from a blocked state to appear as though they are from a blocked state.
3. I am not attempting to connect from one of the 13 states above, but I am still having problems logging into the poker client. What should I do?
   We apologize for this inconvenience. State lookups based on your IP address are not always accurate. Please send an email to support@dbpn.com with your login name and a brief description of your problem.
4. I am not from one of the 13 states but I am traveling to one of them. Will I be able to connect?
   There is a chance that you will not be able to connect if you are travelling to one of the 13 states listed above. Please contact support@dbpn.com if you are traveling through one of the states and are having a problem logging into your account.

Brussels, 15 July 2008 - The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) today launches a comprehensive set of standards that covers all aspects of player protection, fair gaming and responsible operator behaviour in the online gaming and betting environment. These standards complement stringent legal requirements already imposed by EU licensing jurisdictions.

Over 170 technical requirements have been adopted on a voluntary basis to take into account all aspects of online gaming and betting associated services. As part of their membership criteria, EGBA members are required to comply with all standards. Compliance is verified by a compulsory annual audit carried out by eCOGRA, a leading standards and player protection body, which itself is annually subjected to a comprehensive quality assurance review by one of the world’s leading firms of auditors.

This initiative builds upon EGBA’s (then EBA) code of conduct, which was already adopted in 2003 and follows other industry initiatives. Self-regulation is vital in the online gaming and betting industry in order to continuously take stock of this fast developing eCommerce sector and stay ahead of slower legal developments. It also ensures, given the cross border nature of the sector, consistency of standards across Europe to guarantee consumers can play in a safe, secure and reliable environment.

EGBA Chairman, Norbert Teufelberger said: “These standards are a sign of our commitment to an exemplary level of corporate and social responsibility. They could serve as a basis for reflection at a time when governments and regulators across Europe are trying to find ways to best protect consumers in the online gaming and betting environment.”v These responsible gaming and betting standards include measures such as:

• Promoting responsible gaming, preventing underage gaming and problem gaming;
• A zero tolerance approach to fraud or criminal behaviour;
• Protecting customers’ privacy and safeguarding their information;
• Ensuring prompt and accurate customer payments;
• Assessing rigorously and independently the fairness of games;
• Committing to responsible and ethical marketing practice.

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About EGBA:

For further information or comment please contact:
Sigrid Ligné: +32 (0) 2 256 7527

sigrid.ligne@egba.eu

The EGBA is an association of the leading European gaming and betting operators Bet-at-home.com, bwin, Digibet, Carmen Media Group, Expekt, Interwetten, PartyGaming and Unibet.

EGBA is a Brussels-based non-profit making association. It promotes the right of private gaming and betting operators that are regulated and licensed in one Member State to a fair market access throughout the European Union.

Online gaming and betting is a fast growing market, but will remain for the next decades a negligible part of the overall European gaming market in which the traditional land based offer is expected to grow from € 80 Billion GGR in 2007 to € 95 Billion GGR in 2012, thus keeping the lion’s share with 90,6% of the market. Source: Global Betting and Gaming Consultants, May 2008

http://www.egba.eu/

http://www.responsiblegamingday.eu/

888.com white label client LuckyAce accredited for online casino and poker operations

London, 24 June 2008 - 888.com’s white label operations online gambling sites LuckyAceCasino.com and LuckyAce Poker.com owned by the Kamay Holdings group, have successfully achieved accreditation and the right to display the eCOGRA "Safe and Fair" online gambling seal.

White label operations are those that are owned and marketed by the client company, with back office operational management by the provider, in this case the well established and Gibraltar-licensed online gambling group 888.com, a founder member of eCOGRA in 2003.

Commenting on the awards, eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge said: "Recently LuckyAce applied for the eCOGRA seal accreditation.

"After extensive testing and inspection the team, and the Independent Directors who scrutinised the result of the compliance process, are satisfied that all issues have been fully addressed, and that the LuckyAce owners are now fully aware of what is expected of them as eCOGRA seal holders.

"Like all eCOGRA operations, the LuckyAce brands will be continuously and closely monitored for compliance with our wide-ranging player protection and operational standards going forward, and players who have any complaints will have full access to the online assistance of our Fair Gaming Advocate, Tex Rees.

"In the unlikely event that any players have issues with LuckyAce, we invite them to lodge a complaint at www.ecogra.org/disputes

The LuckyAce brands bring the number of eCOGRA accredited operations to 106 with further accreditations currently in the pipeline.

- Mobile and poker venues join the "Safe and Fair" professional ranks

eCOGRA's Compliance Team has been exceptionally busy this year, carrying out intensive probity and systems testing on new applicants for the "Safe and Fair" seal, and conducting extensive on-site annual reviews for operators due to renew their accreditations.

Among the new seal holders is Zero 36, a Spin3 powered mobile gambling operation owned by the Palace Group which has already built up a significant player base. Joining the mobile site as eCOGRA's newest seal-holders are three poker rooms, Interwetten Poker, Aspinalls Poker and Poker Room LA.

The name Aspinalls is famous in both land and online gambling circles and the online poker room that bears this respected name is managed by Vegas Poker Lounge and powered by Microgaming. Malta-licensed and EGBA member Interwetten Poker is a member of the Ongame Network and has a long history in the betting industry, whilst Poker Room LA is part of the well established and successful Vegas Partner Lounge group.

eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge congratulated the new seal holders and applauded their commitment to professionalism, good business practice and player protection in devoting the time and energy required to obtain seal status. "You join a remarkable roll of tier one operators in adhering to the highest standards of operational conduct and integrity, and we are proud to award the seal to your websites," he said.

The Compliance Team has recently reviewed and renewed the "Safe and Fair" seals of 1 mobile, 10 poker and 55 casino operations including major groups like 888.com. A full list of the renewed seals is available at www.ecogra.org/approved.

Beveridge said that in general the Compliance Team had reported a high level of eGAP compliance at all reviewed operations. "It is pleasing to see that eCOGRA accredited operators are adhering to eGAPs that cover such a wide range of financial and operational practice, and that operators are ensuring that their reviews are carried out timeously," he said.

April 21, 2008 - Calvin Ayre, the internationally noted billionaire playboy founder of Bodog, will be retiring from his largely ceremonial role as the face of Bodog.

Additionally he will no longer be involved in Bodog operationally. In mid 2007 he successfully transferred ownership of the Bodog brand in North America to the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group. Internationally Bodog has put in place a very competent and significantly European executive team that is already managing Bodog Europe and Africa and plans to further expand to Latin America.

Ayre will be taking some time to himself in his home in Antigua and will continue to support charitable opportunities through the Calvin Ayre Foundation.

Ayre noted that, “While it has been great fun to live my life in front of the world’s cameras and online though my blog, I am looking forward to a more private and meaningful period of giving back and working to support the Calvin Ayre Foundation.”

eCOGRA responsible gambling standards described as comprehensive and practical

London, 26 March 2008 - The UK problem gambling charity GamCare and eCommerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) pooled their expertise in London last week to train almost 40 online casino managers on the principles of responsible gambling, and how to identify and handle problem gamblers.

Management delegates travelled from their bases around the world to attend the two day intensive training course, which featured lectures, case history studies and interactive training exercises supervised by expert GamCare officials Andrew Poole and Amy Webster. The course covered all aspects of responsible gambling and the now well established principles for handling this important management function which eCOGRA 'Safe and Fair' sealed gambling venues are required to use.

Former UK Gaming Board Chief Inspector, GamCare Trustee and eCOGRA Independent Director Bill GalstonOBE welcomed delegates to the course, stressing the critical importance of a coherent and professional responsible gambling program at online gambling establishments.

"For both humanitarian and ethical reasons - and to correct adverse misperceptions by some - a comprehensive responsible gambling policy is a critical investment for any online gambling operation," he said. "eCOGRA has made huge strides in this area in developing a set of best practice requirements for online gambling operations, and this third course on the subject will coach managers in how to apply these tools.

"On this course we are especially pleased to also welcome experienced managers from major companies that are members of the European Gaming and Betting Association, adding to the pool of experience that makes these occasions such a valuable two-way exchange of knowledge," he said.

Andrew Poole, managing director of GamCare's Trade Services Limited company conducted a thorough review and explanation of the eCOGRA responsible gambling requirements and standards, describing them as both comprehensive and practical.

"This course will give you sufficient information and insight to set up a solid responsible gambling program at your companies if you have not already done so," he said, stressing the need for training and making responsible gambling a part of the corporate culture.

The eCOGRA standards provide minimum requirements in respect of warnings and options regarding problem gambling, self exclusion and control mechanisms for gamblers, and promotional and advertising best practices in this area.

GamCare's Amy Webster conducted much of the training, which included expert tuition on the prevention of underage gambling, the psychology of problem gamblers, how to identify compulsive players and the best way to handle cases of this nature.

eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge wound up the course by addressing delegates: "I believe I can safely say that this course is the best we have held to date, not only in terms of expert tuition from our colleagues at GamCare, but also due to the commitment and experience which delegates have generously shared throughout.

“Responsible gambling is an absolutely essential operational element and I am confident that you return to your companies motivated and with the right tools to ensure that a quality responsible gambling policy is constantly reviewed and refreshed.

"Your commitment to eCOGRA has its roots in a real desire to be professional, responsible and above-average in your operational practice, and the responsible gaming aspect is now firmly entrenched as an integral part of our standards necessary to achieve this level of business conduct."

An onsite review was recently conducted by eCOGRA's Compliance and Advisory Services staff at the operations for the following casinos as part of a normal seal renewal process:

Challenge (www.challengecasino.com)
Golden Reef (www.goldenreefcasino.com)
I Big Casino (www.ibigcasino.com)
Music Hall (www.musichallcasino.com)
Nostalgia (www.nostalgiacasino.com)
UK Casino Club (www.ukcasinoclub.com)

The audit revealed failures in compliance with eCOGRA's Generally Accepted Practices. It has therefore been decided to suspend these seals pending further investigation.

The Management of these casinos have been advised of this action and requested to comment on the findings of the audit review. Further information will be provided once these investigations are concluded.

It should further be noted that the operations applicable to Arctic Poker (www.arcticpoker.com) did not form part of the eCOGRA review, and therefore the seal for this site has been revoked, as the time by which it should have been reviewed has expired.

Working with GamCare, eCOGRA will host its third intensive training initiative in March 2008

London, 18 February 2008 - Starting March 19 this year, eCOGRA will be hosting the next training course in London, and eCOGRA accredited companies and other firms currently under review around the globe have already committed to the expense of sending managers to attend, registering over 40 delegates.

The two day course will commence with an address by a senior independent director of eCOGRA and former Chief Inspector of the UK Gaming Board, Bill Galston OBE followed by detailed practical tuition sessions on the clinical and social aspects of problem and underage gambling presented by expert professional speakers from GamCare.

The highly interactive programme has been designed to cover all aspects of responsible gambling awareness and the implementation of effective and practical measures to identify and exclude problem gamblers, with the emphasis on player protection, customer communication and providing players with helpful information. The managers attending will be coached on how best to ensure that staff is adequately and regularly trained to deal with responsible gambling issues, and that marketing initiatives are in compliance with the Responsible Gambling Code.

One of the key sessions will examine intervention and interaction; how to deal with problem gamblers and the fine line between intervention and interaction. With the UK code recommending that companies engage in “interaction” this aspect will be explored and guidelines given on how it can best be achieved, and where the operator’s responsibility ends.

In practical terms, eCOGRA and its partners have done more than most when it comes to the professional study of responsible gambling and the development of staff training aimed at reducing the possibility of underage or problem gambling.

The player protection organisation has partnered with leading international responsible gambling bodies to present two previous major training courses for operational managers, who then return to their home bases to implement measures and expand the training to other members of staff.

"Our previous courses have been well received as valuable guidance in complying with best practice standards for combating problem and underage gambling," eCOGRA's Fair Gaming Advocate Tex Rees said. "The next course has combined the expert professional knowledge of GamCare counsellors with the growing practical experience of top online gambling operators to produce what we believe is an effective and useful approach to a key industry problem."