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The article focuses on the resentment being expressed by the lottery officials in New York regarding the fees being charged on lotteries purchased through Mastercard Inc.'s credit cards. Jennifer Givner, a New York State Lottery spokeswoman, informs that MasterCard customers buying lotteries are being charged interest and a cash-advance fees and states that the fees is being charged following a new federal law passed aiming to stop illegal internet gambling.

The article presents questions and answers related to credit union including the possible use of a cover letter together with the opt-in notice for automated teller machine (ATM) and one-time debit card overdrafts as well as the impact of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) regulation on commercial account.

The article offers world news briefs related to the gaming industry. The European Union's (EU) highest court is upholding Dutch Laws that restrict foreign online gambling in the Internet. The Australian Gaming Industries is purchasing various assets from the games and system provider Octavian International Ltd. Scientific Games Corp. has been contracted to provide a central system for pari-mutuel and odds-based numbers games for lottery operator Norsk Tipping.

The article explores Malta as the leader in the Internet gambling industry in 2010. Malta was the first European Union (EU) member state to govern Internet gaming when, in May 2004, it passed the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001's Remote Gaming Regulations. Malta is a base to more than 250 remote gaming companies, and holds over 350 licences.

The article announces that the compliance date for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) regulations is on June 1, 2010.

The article focuses on the attempt of the Web gambling owners to push the issue regarding the case on Kentucky's Web gambling ban that caused the state to call for their appearance before the court.

The author reflects on the incompetency of the U.S. Congress to enact effective laws for consumer protection. One of which is the delay in the compliance of commercial banks to identity theft prevention programs as mandated by the Federal Trade Commission. Meanwhile, the ruling which disallows gambling on the Internet is also deferred, as well as the conformity of small banks to the Sarbanes-Oxley provision.

The article reports on the introduction of online gambling and betting to the National Legislative Assembly in Costa Rica in September 2009. It mentions that legislation has been served for the regulation of the online gambling and betting in the country. In addition, the government has imposed a tax on the casinos and sports books' gross revenues for about 2%. Moreover, the formal regulation imposed to casinos and sports books, in order to prevent laundering are also noted.

The article reports on the regulations passed by the parliament to govern the operations of online casinos in Estonia. The Estonia Gambling Act is set to commence in January 2010, in which it recognizes the licenses of Internet gaming operators based in other European Union countries, but it requires several options to allow legal operation in the country. The regulation also requires companies to show themselves to be properly incorporated, well capitalized and must submit to background checks.

The article offers information on the new gaming bill unveiled by Congressman Barney Frank in the U.S. It is a new legislation that authorizes the country's Treasury to license and regulate business enterprises to offer Internet gambling services that exclude professional and amateur sports. The mandate will not repeal the old Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) but would only delay the implementation of UIGEA to December 1, 2010.

The article offers information on the implication on the plan of Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin to ban online casinos in the Netherlands. The banks in the country refused to be involve in Ballin's plan and refused to process money transactions with internet gambling sites. According to Michael Noordermeer, association spokesman, the plan is not practical and the government should bring it to trial and convert an online gambling operator.

The article reports on the announcement regarding the joint rule of the Department of the Treasury and Federal Reserve to implement and enforce the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the U.S. The rule affects the financial institutions that are performing due diligence on corporate customers and it ensures the institutions to not to process online gambling transactions. The financial institutions have been given until December 1, 2009 and it goes into effect January 19, 2009.

The article reports on the decision of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush to push through the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which requires financial institutions to put regulations in place to prevent payments for illegal gambling. The Treasury announced that it was putting regulations in place to enforce the provisions of the act. Lobbyists for banks and some legislators have objected, saying the banks are being forced to mediate between state laws and federal laws, putting them in an uncomfortable role as enforcers.

The article discusses regulations passed by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. Treasury Dept. which require financial institutions to take steps to stop Internet gambling. A description of the regulations is provided in the article. The opinions of U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank regarding the regulations are presented.

The article discusses actions that Barney Frank, the U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman, would like to see the U.S. government take regarding gambling regulations. According to the article, Frank feels that enacting gambling regulations would negatively impact the financial services industry. Steps that Frank would like to see the U.S. government take regarding the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 are mentioned.

The article discusses the response of online gambling supporters on a Kentucky circuit court ruling that orders owners of 141 domain names to appear at a hearing. It furthers that if the owners of domains such as Sportsbook.com and Playersonly.com fail to appear or prove that they block Kentucky gambling traffic, their domains will be forfeited to the state. However, there are many laws in the state that referenced in the prosecution of Internet gambling cases predate the Internet or do not directly address the Internet.

The article reports on concerns that the capital markets bailout hearings currently taking place in Washington, D.C. could affect the approval of the Payments System Protection Act of 2008 that could lessen the impact of legislation outlawing online gambling in the U.S., as of October 3, 2008. Votation on the bill in the House of Representatives has been postponed due to the financial crisis on Wall Street.

The article presents information on regulations for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to be released by the U.S. Financial Services Committee. It is stated that the Act provides a very broad definition of what is illegal regarding Internet gambling. According to Wayne Abernathy, executive vice-president for the American Bankers Association, the law converts banks from service providers to law enforcement entities.

The article covers news briefs related to legislation in the U.S. as of July 10, 2008. Included are completed and pending legislation on regulation of Internet gambling, stabilization of housing prices and the reduction of the national foreclosure rate, and regulation of credit card company practices and card reform legislation.

The article reports on the decision of the House Financial Services Committee reject a bill that would delay a proposed regulation that would ban Internet gambling in the U.S. It is stated that the would have required the Federal Reserve Board and the Treasury Department to withdraw their proposal until Congress could define unlawful Internet gambling. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial, said that there is no way to limit online gambling without defining its first.

The article reports that the U.S. House Financial Services Committee voted against a bill that would slow down a regulation to ban gambling on the Internet. The ban was written by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board (Fed) and the Treasury Department. A bill had been suggested that would force the Fed and Treasury to more clearly define their position before making it a law.

The author reflects on changes which may be made to regulations governing Internet gambling. A bill being discussed by the U.S. House Financial Services Committee which would stop the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is discussed. A description of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is given.

The article reflects on the efforts of Congressman Jim McDermott in regulating online gambling in the U.S. It has been noted by the author that McDermott has introduced his second bill for 2008 urging for federal taxation of Internet gambling. According to the author, McDermott believes that legalizing Internet gambling could generate billions for the country.

The article reports on the introduction of the Internet Gaming Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2008 by Washington Congressman Jim McDermott to the U.S. Congress to create further movement to the legalization and regulation of Internet gaming within the U.S. McDermott's bill, which was passed in early March 2008, would serve as a companion bill to the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, a legislation passed by Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank.

The article reports on the request of U.S. lawmakers for banking regulators to cut off funding for implementation of the rules to block illegal Internet gambling. Representative Barney Frank claimed that the definitions of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act are unclear and compliance would place undue hardship on banks and payment firms. It provides information on a letter sent by Frank and three colleagues to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke regarding the said issue.

The article reports on the efforts of lawmakers to cut off funding for the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said that the definitions of the law are unclear and compliance would place undue hardship on banks and payment companies. In fact, Frank and colleagues have asked Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke to stop providing resources for the implementation of rules.

The article reports on the bill introduced by Democratic Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts that could spare financial institutions from costly new procedures to block unlawful Internet gambling payments. The bill, co-sponsored by Republican Representative Ron Paul of Texas, would prohibit the U.S. federal government from issuing rules for financial institutions under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

The article focuses on the legislation introduced by Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank, chairman of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, that could spare financial institutions from new procedures to block unlawful Internet gambling payments. Co-sponsored by Ron Paul from Texas, the bill would prohibit the federal government from issuing rules for financial institutions under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

The article reports on the failure of the U.S. Congress to provide a clear definition of what constitutes unlawful Internet gambling. Representatives for the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Department of the Treasury argue that lack of a definition is preventing completion of rules to enforce the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The proposed rules, introduced in late 2007, would require all payment systems, including credit card issuers, to identify and block unlawful Internet-gambling transactions or face penalties.

The article focuses on the delay of the completion of rules to enforce the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 in the U.S. Representatives from the Federal Reserve and the Department of the Treasury testified before a subcommittee on Financial Services and mentioned the lack of definition and clarity on the part of Congress regarding unlawful Internet gambling. The rules require payment systems to identify and block unlawful Internet gambling transactions.

The article reports that the Global Interactive Gaming Summit and Expo (GiGSE) will be relocating from North America to Malta because of organizers' concerns over the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the U.S. GiGSE will also change its name to Global Interactive Gaming Summit for Executives to avoid being confused with Clarion Gaming Americas' European i-Gaming Congress and Expo.

The article reports on the Chinese government's actions to deal with problem gambling among the youth. They are proposing for new legislation that will require companies to use software that will determine the age of the user. Automatic caps on playing time are also proposed. A study by China's National Children's Center found that 137 million Internet users in China are under 18 years of age and 13% of them are online addicts. China has established the first treatment center of Internet Addiction Disorder for teenagers.

The article reports on a moratorium on implementation of certain provisions of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 suggested by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in the U.S. CUNA President Dan Mica said that the trade group has concerns over the pending implementation issued by the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Board. Credit unions express support to money laundering and terrorism prevention.

This section offers international news briefs on the gambling industry as of December 2007. Web site entrepreneur Nicholas Jenkins and employees Josie Imlay and Peter Abrahamsen were charged under Louisiana law with illegal Internet gambling. Leisure and Gaming (L&G) has ended its takeover talk with the Canada-based CGTV Games, which is said to be interested in acquiring L&G. Malta-based Zeturf was reported to be seeking to expand its online race-betting business to Spain.

The article reports on the opposition of U.S. state attorneys general Bill McCollum of Florida and Doug Gansler of Maryland to the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 of Representative Barney Frank. A letter from the attorneys general to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives states that the bill will undermine their states' authority to regulate gambling. The impact of the passage of the said bill on the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is mentioned.

The article reports that the Gibraltar-based PartyGaming is open to an acquisition by a Las Vegas, Nevada-based casino company according to its CEO Mitch Garber. It notes the impact of the passage of the U.S. Unlawful Internet Gambling Act in 2006 on the company. It also cites the efforts of the firm to negotiate with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid the losses, fines and criminal prosecutions suffered by other companies.

The article discusses the proposed regulations by the U.S. National Indian Gaming Commission on electronic gaming which will distinguish between Class II and Class III machines. Class II machines are bingo machines where players compete against each other and do not require state agreement. Class III machines are casino-style slot machines which pit players against the casino and require agreements between the casino and state regulators. Gambling officials are predicting the phasing out of the Class II machines if the proposal is approved.

The article reports on the introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in November 2007. The Act would prohibit gambling businesses from accepting payments in connection with unlawful Internet gambling, including payments made through credit cards, electronic funds transfers and checks. The rule provides examples of policies and procedures, the statement says.

The article reports on the meeting between U.S. lawmakers and leaders of the 800,000-member Poker Players Alliance on October 25, 2007. The group is backing the Skill Game Protection Act, a bill sponsored by Florida Democratic Representative Robert Wexler which would exempt poker, mah jong, chess, backgammon, bridge and other skill-based games from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. That bill, intended to curb gambling addictions and fraud, barred the transfer of funds from a financial institution to an Internet gambling site.

The article offers news briefs concerning the creation of 2007 U.S. federal regulations in the banking industry. Included are news of a proposal from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board (Fed) that would implement a law requiring banks to block illegal Internet gambling payments, and proposed rulemaking from the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that would dictate how rebates are provided. A proposal from the Fed concerning clearer credit card language is also being developed.

The article reports that the Americas Watchdog is requesting the U.S. Justice Department to investigate its claim regarding the processing of bets and payments made by violators of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). According to the group, four casinos are accepting credit card and debit card payments from U.S. card issuers and banks.

The article reports on a joint proposal from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and Treasury Department for a law requiring banks to block illegal Internet gambling payments. Banking industry representatives, who are generally opposed to using banks as a policing mechanism, praised the reduced compliance burdens in the proposal.

The article reports on a letter sent by a coalition of family and religious organizations in the U.S. to Congress on August 1, 2007, affirming their support for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Among the members of the coalition are the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling and the Christian Coalition of America. In the letter, the coalition urges legislators to stand by UIGEA and ensure that strong tools are put in place to enforce it. Also cited are other bills that the letter urges legislators to resist.

The article reports that the European Commission has urged France to allow foreign operators to take bets online or face legal action in connection to the country's draft law on online gambling. The Commission cited that the law violated Article 49 of the Treaty of Rome which guarantees the right of service providers from member states to trade freely across the European Union. The draft law requires banks to block money transfers to and from gambling Web sites and to and from gamblers.

The article reports on legislation covering Internet gambling being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. Washington Democratic Representative Jim McDermott introduced the Internet Gambling Regulations and Tax Enforcement Act, which would create a structure to tax licensed online gambling. Another bill by Representative Robert Wexler titled Skill Game Protection Act sought to exempt poker, mahjong, bridge, chess and like contests from a ban passed in 2006.

The article discusses the opposition of U.S. Representative Barney Frank and other legislators to the Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) . UIGEA requires financial institutions to ban the processing of payments to Internet gambling operators. Frank notes that he will try to revise the ban. Representatives Shelley Berkley and Jon Porter are reportedly considering the introduction of a bill calling for the study of Internet gaming.

The article reports on the enactment of a prohibition on Web gambling in Turkey. The author states that the Turkish government has introduced a legislation forbidding unlicensed domestic or foreign companies from providing online gambling to the citizens of the country. The move of the government is in line with the growth of unlicensed betting sites mainly in the southeast of Turkey.

The article looks at workplace trends and legislation relating to the proper use of electronic communications. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation prohibiting the use of cellular phone while driving, unless a hands-free device is used. U.S. President George W. Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act, which makes it illegal for banks and credit unions to process bets made online.

The article reports on the potential enactment of a bill that will formally outlaw online gambling in France. The French National Assembly is considering a bill that will require banks to develop specific tools to prevent money transfers to and from gambling Web sites and to and from gamblers. The bill also requires Internet service providers to inform players seeking access to gambling sites that the sites have been designated as reprehensible by the minister of the Interior.

The article looks at how Stephen Lawrence and John Lefebvre from the British payment processor for Internet gambling NETeller PLC were released on bond after being arrested for violations to Internet gambling laws and promoting offshore gambling. The article also discusses Betonsports PLC and Sportingbet PLC.