Online Gambling Watchdog eCOGRA Expects Increased Interest - 10-17-07

October 16 - With competition soaring in the European online gaming markets following the move away from the confusing problems of operating in the United States, the need for acceptable standards and licensing has never been stronger, says Andrew Beveridge, CEO of eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA).

The growing necessity for online gambling operators to commit to serious licensing jurisdictions with real regulatory requirements was again evident in several key presentations at the European iGaming Congress and Expo held recently in Barcelona.

Adding momentum to the trend, the United Kingdom's recently published advertising "white list" has spurred numerous companies to gravitate toward effective and acceptable licensing jurisdictions like Gibraltar, Malta, Alderney and of course Britain itself.

The swing has also generated substantially more interest in private non-profit standards and player protection bodies like eCOGRA which numbers some 120 tier one online gambling venues on its accredited list.

Formed four years ago with respected international and independent directors at the helm, the London-based organization has consulted internationally to develop advanced best practice standards for operational conduct...and the technology to inspect and continually monitor accredited companies to ensure compliance.

Beveridge and a growing London-based professional team have engaged regularly with several licensing jurisdictions on the acceptability of its standards, laying the groundwork for compliance with most jurisdictional requirements in terms of game fairness, customer service, responsible gambling, management integrity, operational efficiency and accounting best practice.

"We're aware that there are inter-nation and perhaps political difficulties in reaching a harmonized form of detailed international standards and regulations among national licensing jurisdictions," said Beveridge at the Barcelona conference.

"But the main prize is surely a safe and fair online gambling environment for the players? That is our goal in promoting practical standards on which we can all agree and the inspection and monitoring necessary to ensure compliance.

"We are confident that eCOGRA makes it possible for accredited operations to meet or exceed the principal demands of the top licensing jurisdictions, and that has generated substantial interest in our activities by operators who look for professional guidance in reaching the right levels of acceptability."

About eCOGRA:

Over 120 online casino and poker sites now display the eCOGRA "Safe and Fair" seal, which give players the confidence of a safe safe and entertaining online gambling experience. 69 percent of 11 000 players surveyed in a research study by Nottingham Trent University said they would look for eCOGRA's Safe and Fair seal before playing on a site in future.

Online gambling sites that qualify for the Seal have passed some of the most stringent tests and are subject t ongoing scrutiny.

We fully support eCOGRA and believe that the Seal combined with our $1000 deposit guarantee ensure the safest possible way for you to gamble online.

Learn more about eCOGRA Casinos.

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