WINNERonline brings you the latest Internet gambling news direct from the Global Interactive Gaming Summit & Expo (GIGSE) in Montreal, June 17 to 19, 2003

Check back each day for live updates from the summit floor

Thursday, 19 Jun 2003

Mah Jong Mania is bringing the ancient Chinese game of Mah Jong to the internet. Their new software will allow players to compete for real money. The company plans to launch their software Nov 1. at Mah Jong Club Mahjongmania also plans to licence their software to existing online casinos.

Thursday, 19 Jun 2003

InterCasino has debuted their brand new Flash games. For now the games are only available for free play. The games available include Blackjack, Let It Ride, Craps and video slots. InterCasino also has download software and Java games available for real money play.

Thursday, 19 Jun 2003

Winward Casino expects to go live with wireless wagers next week. They will be the first casino to offer wireless casino games for real money play. Anyone who has a device with a Palm operating system or pocket PC operating system will be able to play the games.

Thursday, 19 Jun 2003

Ruby Bingo is the first online bingo game to go live with Playtech software. The games look fantastic and integrate slots and scratch tickets into the bingo experience. Ruby Bingo is a sister site to Ruby Casino, also powered by Playtech.

Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

PartyPoker.com has surpassed Paradise Poker as the most popular poker site on the internet. PartyPoker.com, launched in August 2001, uses software by iGlobal Media. Anywhere from 4000 to 6000 players are playing at any given time. 40 to 50 % of these players are gambling for real money. The rest are playing for free.

PartyPoker.com attributes their rapid rise to the top to good software and clever marketing. A rep says, “Players like to come back.”

Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

How would you like to own your own casino? DirectGambling.com will provide you a casino for zero dollars down. You will earn 66% of your casino’s net revenue. This is a new trend in the industry called “white label casinos” designed to appeal to internet marketers who are currently earning 25% to 35% commissions promoting existing casinos.

With DirectGambling.com you choose your own domain name, have your own unique casino brand, and DirectGambling.com looks after the rest. The software is provided by SoftGambling.com.

Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

A brand new website, Winastrip.com, connects online gaming with adult entertainment in a new way. Players make deposits, play casino games, and win credits they can use for advanced live adult video chat. In other words, players spend the credits they won talking to live models they can see on their screen.

Winastrip.com is not really a casino. Credits can’t be withdrawn from the system but must be redeemed for adult services. A Winastrip.com representative says the games are set to a generous 98% payout percentage.

Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

NETeller, www.neteller.com, a leading online payment service, will launch NETeller china and NETeller UK in September. The new sites will make it easy for players to use different currencies particularly, British pounds, Euros US dollars and Canadian dollars. Last week NETeller doubled their weekly deposit limits for players from US $1500 to US $3000.

For casino operators, NETeller announced they are moving to 100% non- refutable funds starting July 1. That means 100% indemnification on all NETeller transactions – no charge backs, NSF charges, or no-authorization charges ever.

Monday, 16 Jun 2003
GIGSE starts tomorrow.

The Global Interactive Gaming Summit & Expo is widely recognized as the launching point for the industry's latest I-gaming products and technologies. The show's exhibitors are the leaders in their trade including CryptoLogic, NETeller, Microgaming, Playtech, iGlobal Media, Gambling Online Magazine, and more.