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eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), the London-based independent standards body, has released its half-year statistics on player disputes showing a drop in valid queries for its accredited virtual casinos and poker rooms.

According to Tex Rees, Fair Gaming Advocate for eCOGRA, the first six months of 2008 saw a 19 percent decrease in valid disputes compared to the same period last year while 49 percent of queries were resolved in favour of the player.

Rees revealed that a total of 346 complaints had been lodged online at eCOGRA.org but that the group had rejected 50 of these because they had been made regarding sites that were not committed to its standards and discipline. In addition, a further 36 submissions had been thrown out due to insufficient contact information, abuse, falsehood or the lack of a specific complaint.

eCOGRA stated that the remaining 260 complaints had been fully investigated with both player and casino managements and that 127 had been resolved in favour of the player. (more…)

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The Fortune Lounge group affiliate program, Fortune Affiliates, is the first i-gaming affiliate program to achieve accreditation under the new eCOGRA Affiliate Trust inspection and monitoring regime, and put up its new seal of approval this week.

eCOGRA is an independent, non-profit, standards and best business practice organisation in the online gaming industry, overseeing fair gaming, player protection and responsible operator conduct. The organisation’s Safe and Fair Seal identifies most of the reputable online casinos and poker rooms, and the new eCOGRA Affiliate Trust seal now recognises affiliate operators that observe the same standards of fairness and efficiency.

Fortune Affiliates was awarded the seal after a thorough audit and on-site inspection. “We are extremely honoured to receive the very first Affiliate Trust Seal,” said a spokesman. “The process was a tough one, but as our Affiliates have always known, we have always held ourselves to high standards.” (more…)

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49 percent of disputes decided in favour of the player by Fair Gaming Advocate

Tex Rees, the Fair Gaming Advocate at independent player protection and standards organisation eCOGRA, released half yearly statistics on player disputes with Safe and Fair accredited casinos and poker rooms this week, noting a 19 percent decrease in valid disputes over the same period in 2007, and that 49 percent of disputes were resolved in favour of the player.

Rees assessed a total of 346 complaints lodged online at www.ecogra.org, rejecting 50 made in regard to venues which were not committed to eCOGRA standards and discipline. A further 36 submissions were closed as invalid due to insufficient contact information, abuse, falsehood or the lack of a specific complaint. (more…)

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London-listed PartyGaming plc, one of the industry’s largest online gambling groups, has announced that three of its key operations have passed the stringent Safe and Fair accreditation process of the player protection and standards non-profit organisation eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA.)

Commenting on the awards, eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge said: “After extensive testing and inspection by the eCOGRA professional compliance team, PartyGaming passed with flying colours.

“Our independent directors have awarded the revocable Safe and Fair seal, and are satisfied that PartyCasino.com, PartyPoker.com and EmpirePoker.com meet the required standards for responsible gambling, player protection, management and fiscal integrity and operational best practice.”

PartyGaming is a member of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), for whose best practice standards eCOGRA provides assessment services and shares common goals in securing high standards of operational and regulatory compliance.

PartyGaming CEO Jim Ryan said: “PartyGaming is committed to responsible gaming and wants all of our players to play on our online sites for the right reason – to have fun and play within their means. These new seals show our sites provide our players with a very high level of protection backed by our EGBA membership and eCOGRA accreditation. (more…)

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The independent online gambling standards and player protection organisation eCOGRA has been approved as an accredited testing facility by the Gambling Supervision Commission on the Isle of Man, a premier European licensing jurisdiction.

The accreditation followed extensive presentations by eCOGRA Chief Executive Andrew Beveridge, the organisation’s Independent Directors and audit team to the Commission earlier this year, which delivered credentials and explained the testing methodology used.

Commenting on the accreditation, Beveridge said: “We are delighted that a regulator of the calibre of the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission has accepted our credentials, audit experience and professional qualifications after intensive study. Our testing principles and methodologies have now been recognised by several international jurisdictions concerned with protecting players through the professional and continuous testing of online casino and poker room operators. (more…)

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UNLV study finds online betting areas thick with bullying, foul-mouthed players, repelling some, enticing others. These were the shocking results discovered following 90-minute interviews with 30 Las Vegas gamblers who enjoy playing poker online.

The experience can be a negative environment dominated by bullying, foul-mouthed players who prowl gambling chat rooms, writes Liz Benston of the Las Vegas Sun.

Donna – participants’ last names were withheld by researchers to protect their identities – reported being harassed while gambling online, including by one player who stalked her by phone. She said she learned to ignore the live chats that accompany online games but still gambled only when her husband was sitting nearby to “protect” her. (more…)

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The recent EiG conference held in Barcelona was chosen as the venue for the launch of the new eCOGRA, GamCare and the Remote Gambling Association’s (RGA) responsible gambling code – an initiative to set a minimum set of standards for the global gaming industry, including online bingo.

The idea behind the new code is to enhance protection for players throughout the industry. Many jurisdictions around the world already provide comprehensive sets of standards, but the new code is hoped to provide greater clarity in the pursuit of responsible gaming throughout the global industry. (more…)

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Hello!!

Today’s special is eCogra.

What is it?

eCOGRA is a non-profit, non-partisan and totally international organisation. eCogra specialists carefully examine online casino software. There is a list of of player-sensitive regulations which are checked by independent inspection and enforced by ongoing monitoring. The function that eCOGRA performs protects those who engage in online gaming where it is lawful. A special mark is awarded to those online casinos which successfully passed the inspection.

Check what is required to get integrated eCOGRA Seal:

* the extent to which operators and software providers adhere to these requirements; and
* the effectiveness of the procedures adopted by the Audit Panel firms to ensure compliance with these requirements. (more…)

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