Poker
Industry showdown in London
Press
Release
LONDON
-
It's been a frantic couple of years for anybody involved
in the rapidly expanding online gambling industry, particularly
those with a Poker offering.
Martin
Oelbermann of MECN recently forecast that the amount gambled
on poker websites worldwide this year is likely to top
US$60 billion, whilst 'Research and Markets' are predicting
that online revenues will exceed US$ 4 billion in the
next couple of years.
Whatever
stats you care to look at and whoever you choose to believe
nobody can deny that the Poker explosion is a phenomenon
the like of which we may not see again
and there's
no end in sight.
With
online Poker sites continuing to rake in the cash, Brick
Casinos scrambling to reintroduce sizable card rooms to
capitalize on the boom and mobile and iTV offerings starting
to gain traction there's no sign of the industry slowing
.especially
in Europe.
With
so much to play for it's no surprise that December 5 and
6 will see the most significant gathering of Poker Industry
professionals outside of the USA, if not anywhere in the
world. The Poker Summit Europe has been
organized by Bullet Business [www.bulletbusiness.com]
a division of London's FC Group, an international event
specialist.
Apart
from a spectacular lineup of over 40 top level speakers
including John Anderson, CEO of 888, Noam Lanir CEO of
Empire Online and Patrik Selin, CEO of Ongame, Bullet
Business and sponsors The Poker Channel and CryptoLogic
are staging the first Bullet Business Industry Poker
Tournament.
The
tournament is open to anybody in the Poker Industry value
chain but, sensibly, excludes former and current pro players
as well as Joe Public. Qualification takes place online
with the final table the centre piece of the Summit Networking
Party on the night of December 5th
Mike
Setters, Global Events Director at FC and Head of the
Bullet Business division told us "the Poker space
is packed with characters
everybody talks the talk
but the question we're asking with the Bullet Business
Industry Poker Tournament is ..can they walk the walk!?"
"The
Summit itself will be a serious business event - we're
not offering Vegas style entertainment and amusement,
we are offering incredible networking and cutting edge
insight from the leaders in diverse Poker businesses -
both on and offline. But we wanted to do something fun
as well
"
So
on December 5th if you're quick and sign up now, you could
be the lucky [or skillful] player who takes the Bullet
Business IPT2005 title, the kudos, the publicity for your
company and, of course, gets to nominate the charity to
which the prize fund will be donated.
Signing
up takes seconds - full details can be found at bulletbusiness.com
About
FC and Bullet Business
FC
[First Conferences Ltd] is the owner and operator of the
Bullet Business brand. A global provider of market-leading
business news, intelligence and events, FC work in multiple
vertical industries and in all geographical markets. The
company is known for staging top level strategic and technology
events as well as its substantial and respected publishing
activities. More information about the company can be
found at www.firstconf.com
About
the Poker Channel
The
Poker Channel is the world's first TV channel dedicated
to poker and is the home of quality gambling entertainment.
The Poker Channel embodies the culture, lifestyle and
attitude of poker fans worldwide and offers a one-stop
shop with more live coverage of major poker tournaments
than ever before. The channel will broadcast the world's
first live coverage of the British Poker Open as well
as other entertainment programmes such as educational
programming, exclusive and new editorial shows and night
time feeds of "high roller" online games.The
Poker Channel is available to all Sky subscribers, as
a free to air channel, and is located under the Entertainment
section Channel Number 265. The Poker Channel, the home
of Poker, launched on 23rd March 2005 and will broadcast
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More information about
the company can be found at www.pokerchannel.co.uk
About
CryptoLogic
CryptoLogic is recognized as a pioneer and leading software
developer in the rapidly expanding Internet gaming industry.
Individuals registered in 240 nations and territories
worldwide use our software. We have processed more than
US$30 billion in secure electronic deposits from more
than 2 million clients. Common shares of the Company are
listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CRY), on the Nasdaq
National Market (CRYP) and on the London Stock Exchange
Main Market (CRP). More information about the company
can be found at www.cryptolgic.com
International
investors among eight bidding for gaming licences
As
reported by www.dispatch.co.za
Thousands
of jobs, a mega entertainment complex, luxury hotels and
budget lodges are on the cards for the Eastern Cape as
moves accelerate to open two new casinos.
The
casinos will be in the Queenstown-Aliwal North area and
Mthatha-Port St Johns region.
Eastern
Cape government officials say the two multi-million rand
complexes will open their doors to the public by June
2007 and will attract more domestic and foreign tourists
to the province.
Although the casinos won't transform those poverty-stricken
areas, there are spin-offs for the province.
The
casinos are expected to create thousands of the jobs and
provide a much-needed boost for the economy.
They
will also give the province more muscle to share in the
spoils of South Africa's R8,2bn gambling industry. The
Eastern Cape currently only rakes in 7,4% of the industry's
total revenue, compared to Gauteng's 44,9%.
Eight
prospective investors, including international companies,
are bidding for the two gaming licences. Some of the bidders
are the usual suspects in the gambling industry, but the
Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board could not divulge
the names of the companies.
The
bidding process will start in January next year, says
the board's chief executive officer Vuyani Mati, and the
successful investors will be announced by September. The
entire process is expected to take nine to 12 months,
as the board will need to give prospective investors enough
time to come up with the most suitable proposal, and for
communities to submit their comments.
However,
construction on the gaming complex is expected to begin
by Christmas next year, says Mati.
"Investors
want to bring their money to the province."
"The
two new casinos will definitely be a positive factor for
our economy. We expect thousands of jobs to be created,
although we cannot say how many at this point, as that
will be determined by the commitments made by the investors."
The
province's gaming authorities will favour the kind of
investment that will have the power to draw in both local
and international tourists and provide an extraordinary
entertainment offering.
The
province attracted more than 2,5 million foreign visitors
in 2003 and 2004, who spent R4,6bn.
But
the provincial government believes the casinos, the most
lucrative form of gambling, could boost its tourism industry
even further.
Economic
Affairs MEC Andre De Wet said: "A proposal that will
include a hotel or a lodge is desired, but the board will
have to decide on that based on the overall impact of
the proposed investment. We don't expect the investment
to create a big metropolitan area, but we do expect thousands
of jobs to be created."