Hi Everyone
I just logged into my All-Slots players account, and got a message that Existing US Players will not be allowed to play anymore new game Releases!
dose anyone know why?![]()
Hi Everyone
I just logged into my All-Slots players account, and got a message that Existing US Players will not be allowed to play anymore new game Releases!
dose anyone know why?![]()
Someone coming up with hare-brained ideas!
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You know, I know, Microgaming know, and I'm sure that the US Government knows that some microgaming licensees continue to allow US players who were previously registered to still access Microgaming software.
I imagine this new restriction is because Microgaming cannot reasonably argue that it's hard to fit an IP check into their new games - and so have to do so in order to show that (ahem) they're doing "everything possible to not allow US players to play".
I guess that we should be happy that they are not retro-fitting the check into old games too.
Don't blame Microgaming - having made the decision to exit the US market - they've little real choice in the matter given the antagonistic approach and extremely long arms of the American government.
US players will constantly be cut out of the online gaming scene by European operators (who wish to remain legal in the "free world") until the US population gets the US government to change it's stance on online gaming.
livefree247 (7 December 2009), mojo (6 December 2009)
Hmm. Maybe so Gooner.
However, why is it that micro is shutting off usa players while rtg and rivals are not? What is the big scheme of things? I think it won't matter in the end and Micro is cutting off it's nose to save it's face.
Micro's decisions are affecting us all and are not very wise!!
It's been status quo for quite some time and how many millions have we lost. What is the grand plan?Don't blame Microgaming - having made the decision to exit the US market - they've little real choice in the matter given the antagonistic approach and extremely long arms of the American government.
I guess my bottom line question is why did micro exit the usa and rtg and rival did not?
Sorry for the shotgun posts.
Maybe I should start another thread. I am just wondering what country has the highest rate for online gambling? It used to be the usa.
Is it still? Maybe some reps could advise?
I think it's as simple as Microgaming's operators and owners wish to be able to travel through the United States, and (possibly) do legal business there in the future.
Microgaming powers most big name European sites, and operates with Isle of Man licenses within the EU. It's "white listed" by the UK gaming board.
Microgaming are listed on the AIM stockmarket based in London, and as a publically listed company cannot flout the law. They've HAD to pull out.
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RTG on the other hand - well they're licensed in Curaçao, and that jurisdiction seems simply to be unregulated after you pay for your license and pretty much open slather - anywhere, everywhere to anyone.
It's no secret that RTG were struggling before the US ban.
RTG simply seemed to decide .. err ... not to decide and Realtime Gaming left the decision in the hands of each of their clients, which is code for "make hay while the sun shines".
Between Realtime Gaming and Hastings International BV (it's marketing arm) the owners of RTG are quite secretive, and seem to think that they can dodge any US legal action and extradition.
So far they're right ... so far ...
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Rival Gaming seem to be operating on the same basis - although they're based in Cyprus and I know very little about them.
Again ... the ownership is private, and most of the casino partners appear to be tiny operations registered in small jurisdictions, and target the US market in the main.
Good software - but their choice of partners isn't always optimal - and they have had some failures.
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The upshot as far as I can see is that RTG and Rival are smaller privately companies, that were operating between the margins until this HUGE (and probably illegal) market opened up for them.
Their owners are prepared to thumb their noses at the US and say stop us if you can. (much like Calvin Ayre of Bodog fame did / does)
Meanwhile Microgaming are publically owned and cannot operate illegally and retain their EU and Isle of Man status - they have little choice.
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It's similar (but more drastic) for Sports Betting , with ALL big name UK and EU operators simply dropping US customers outright - leaving the market to Costa Rica and Curacao based operators who are frankly second tier operators ... or WORSE!!
The only company that seems to handle everyone is Bodog, who through a complex series of licenses, leasebacks and sleight-of-hand seem to think that they can accept anyone anywhere by geo-routing to different companies.
Although having said that I notice that neither Calvin Ayre nor any bodog related company goes anywhere near the United States these days ... and payment processor confiscations still seem to occur.
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DISCLAIMER :
Sports betting is my main focus, but the scenario I've outlined above is the way I believe that things are operating in the casino space today.
If anyone has better info then please SHARE !
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sipka (7 December 2009)
You rock Gooner. I'll have to really read to reply.
OK, I now have some more facts about microgaming.
but it still baffles me that microgaming is still allowing Existing US Players to use there software.
why are they banning us from new game releases.....
gooner are you saying it's up to the individual casino operators to block US Players from playing new games only...but we can play everything else??![]()
Hi LiveFree,
NO - not quite - and remember I am only guessing.
What I'm saying is that I believe Microgaming know that SOME of their licensees are providing service to old US players, and (ahem), not really saying too much about it - or at least pretending not to know, as both Microgaming and the licensees know the US market is extremely lucrative.
But ... I'm also sure that Uncle Sam knows this ... and that Microgaming have now had to implement IP checking routines into their new games to demonstrate to the US government that they are serious about not letting US players play.
Remember, checking an IP table is pretty easy - even my site does that to determine geo-targetted advertising - so it's got to be a simple technology to implement.
However, based on the announcement that it's only the NEW games, then I also suspect that Microgaming have "probably" said to the US that there is no point in retrofitting that to all the 100's of old games, because their licensees will not use the updated "old" games ...
(and so this loophole allows US players to continue to play the old software that does not check IPs.)
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Again - I'm just speculating and extrapoling based on what I know of the software, the companies, and the way that typical business negotiations and financial wheeling tend to go.
Any industry insiders out there who know the participants closely and can provide better insight ... please jump in !
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livefree247 (7 December 2009)
Ok. Well that certainly makes a lot of sense Gooner. Not sure if disallowing new games matters when usa players are still playing anyway.
I find it interesting that Micro takes such a strong stand in this by not allowing individual liscensees the choice to make their own decisions on players. Such as what happened with Intertops when they were forced out of the usa by micro.
The reason I say this is because Micro refuses to step in with the likes of Grand Prive. It proves the fact that Micro can, indeed, control what it's casino partners can and cannot do. Only, however, if it affects them it seems.
I am guessing that some individual Micro casino owners, if they had the choice, would stay in the usa and take their chances. Now - suddenly - no new games for usa is not going to help their plight. Affiliates were not warned which seems maybe our reps didn't know about it?
JMO of course and guessing.