Data Mining and Legislation Updates
In a bid to protect its recreational players from exploitation by more experienced players using tracking software, Microgaming poker network announced this week that it would be disallowing the storing of hand histories in players’ computers. Also in this weeks gambling news, RGA questions point of the new French gambling bill and eCOGRA says that half of casino disputes come out in favour of the online gambler.
Microgaming Says No to Poker Data Mining
In a bid to protect its recreational players from exploitation by more experienced players using tracking software, Microgaming poker network announced this week that it would be disallowing the storing of hand histories in players’ computers, as well as the practice of downloading and storing these histories in bulk. “The decision to put a stop to the practice of data mining on our poker network is part of Microgaming's overarching network strategy to support operators in attracting and retaining recreational players,” said Andrew Clucas, Head of Microgaming’s Poker Division. “I would like to emphasize that with this change, as with the change to Weighted Contribution, Microgaming is not seeking to alienate its winning players
RGA Questions Point of New French Gambling Bill
The Remote Gambling Association (RGA), comprising of some of the top online gambling operators in the industry, asked the French government not to vote in the new legislation that will change the face of gaming in the country. The RGA said that the law makes it impossible for sports betting companies to compete with monopoly groups, and threatened legal action if the bill is voted in in its current form. “The French government has made it clear that it has no real intention of liberalizing the French online gambling market, but plans to retain a monopoly system in everything but name,” said the CEO of the RGA, Clive Hawkswood. “This can only be detrimental to French consumers and raises the question of whether the reform is only a pretext for protecting the existing monopolists, FDJ and PMU.”
eCOGRA: Nearly Half of Casino Disputes Favour the Player
eCOGRA’s Fair Gaming Advocate, Tex Rees, said that of the 628 cases involving disputes between online casinos and customers last year, 48% were mediated in favor of the player. Most of the disputes involved cash ins, while 22% involved bonus issues. “The average number of valid disputes handled per week was 12.07, slightly up on the 2008 number of 10.6,” said Rees. “Taken over a total of 141 'Safe and Fair' seal websites, that amounts to an average of 0.37 issues per site per month, an minute increase over the 2008 number of 0.36. That remains an industry leading dispute statistic by any standards.”
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