Online gambling was largely prohibited in the USA following the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which sought to stop gambling firms taking money from US customers. The act has been subject to legal challenges on constitutional grounds, but was finally enacted in June of 2010. When the bill was passed, many companies such as 888.com immediately announced their intention to leave the US market. Many companies however declared that they would carry on – among them Full Tilt, Poker Stars and Absolute Poker.

It is alleged that in order to get around the regulations they channelled US funds through shell companie. Fake companies that ‘sold’ goods such as golf equipment and food were used to collect payments which were then channelled through a bank in which the poker companies had a 30% stake. Not only does this allegation suggest an illegal gambling operation, but also outright fraud.

The companies’ assets have been seized – including their domain names, which have been replaced by an FBI notice.

The poker chips that were siphoned off had a face value of $12m (£7.4m) however Mr Mitchell only made £53,000 from the chips he stole after barely managing to sell about on third before he was caught.

From June to September 2009, Mitchell was posing as an administrator on their site, in order to gain access to poker game computer systems, without been noticed by Zynga, once admin rights were gained Mitchell was able to manipulate the values, steal them and sell them.

At Exeter Crown Court, Mr Mitchell pleaded guilty to five charges brought under the Computer Misuse Act and the Proceeds from Crime Act. He was remanded until a date was fixed for sentencing. Mr Mitchell also stated that he had resorted to hacking after becoming fixated with online gambling and the Zynga Poker game in particular.

This though, isn’t the first time Mr Mitchell has been in trouble, he got a suspended sentence in 2008, for hacking into the Website of his former workplace, the Tobray Council, and awarding himself $3500. Judge Philip Wassall said Mr Mitchell would face a lengthy prison sentence for the theft, especially as the crime was carried out while Mr Mitchell was under a suspended sentence for the attack on Tobray council computers.

Picture courtesy of russelljsmith

He is understood to owe online betting firm Spreadex £35,000 in unpaid bets as well as an outstanding tax bill purported to be around £800,000. The footballer – who is not contesting the claim – is said to have descended into a spiral of addiction to betting, particularly on football games. Recently, he was forced to sell his £1.7 million home in Lytham St Anne’s for an undisclosed sum to help pay off his colossal debts.

The dangers of online gambling are often overstated in the froth of media hype that still surrounds online businesses of any kind (see also: Facebook murders and so on). It is true that the free bets that many operators offer can lure people into gambling who might not necessarily have gambled otherwise, but no more so than the many commercial blandishments that daily descend on unwary punters.

The online gaming industry has tried to keep a very clean house after initial scares about gambling addictions. Big companies such as 888.com, who run the internet’s largest online poker site amongst many others, provide links to advice for anyone who feels that they might be developing an addiction, as well as being signatories to accreditation schemes like ecogra.

Nonetheless, the sad tale of Colin Hendry’s dramatic fall should serve as a warning to all that even with a small fortune to play with, excessive habits can lead to ruination. Coming as it does on the heels of his wife’s tragically early death caused by a botched plastic surgery operation we’re sure that Hendry must be a very low place right now and we can only hope that he shows the same tenacity now in his life that he was famed for on the football pitch.

Picture of Colin Hendry courtesy of iain.smart

The owner of 888, Pacific Poker has said it plans to pay Daub, Winks current owners a base price of £11 million, plus a sum based on earnings in the year to March 2011, with the total capped at £59.7 million.

Both companies have favoured well in the current climate with both making profits, in August, 888 reported pre-tax profits of 14.9 million US dollars (£9.3 million) in the six months to June 30, compared with 26.3 million dollars (£16.4 million) in the same period last year. Also Wink which was only launched in 2008 has generated revenues of £15 million and pre-tax profits of £1.3 million in the 11 months to November 30 this year.

Wink bingo is one of the most popular online bingo sites and their networks which include Wink Bingo, Posh Bingo and Bingo Fabulous, had over 60,000 active players in October this year making them very desirable.

Gigi Levy, Chief executive said the acquisition would help 888 expand its online bingo footprint “in the lucrative UK market”. The firm have said “completion of the deal was dependent on certain factors, including obtaining the required consents.” However Wink bingo’s site currently run through 888’s Dragonfish bingo platform, making transition for the Wink bingo networks to join up with the 888ladies Bingo easy

Picture courtesy of Pocheco

However, as bingo’s popularity has seen a massive boom over the last few years and the size and scale of the game has grown, it’s no surprise to find that it is attracting new levels of glamour. This year’s World Championship Tournament takes place in the Gulf of Mexico on board the 952ft Carnival Splendor – the largest and most spectacularly appointed cruise ship in the Carnival fleet. The 2009 tournament in November will see players from around the world duking it out for a $100,000 jackpot and a free pass to the 2010 event.

With interest in the UK at an all time high, online bingo site 888ladies.com is stumping up to send the winner of its own mini tournament to the event – all expenses paid! By playing as many games as possible on the site between now and August 23rd, players can accumulate points in the competition. The 75 players with the most points will then take part in a 75 card showdown. The eventual winner of this game will be flown from London to the US, where they’ll hook up with the Carnival Splendor for an 8 day luxury cruise in first class VIP cabins, touring around the Gulf of Mexico and taking in such exotic locations as Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

So if your image of bingo is still stuck with the Working Man’s Club stereotype of chain-smoking, blue-haired old girls then more fool you: the era of glamourous bingo has truly arrived!

Louise said that the staff had indicated it was indeed a regional game and that she had won a great deal of money. There was obvious disappointment at the lower winning amount.

Gala Bingo has long being accepted as a top bingo playing site, but we question just how much effort they are putting in to advertising when you consider other bingo websites that seem to be taking the lead.

At Jackpotcitybingo.com they are literally giving away money to their bingo players with the latest bingo deal. They have also just launched another TV campaign for playing online bingo on E4. Here at shockingtimes we like the Bella Bingo mascot too.  At the moment for your £10 bingo play you get £30 pounds worth of bingo funds, that can’t be bad.