The first commercial betting companies to be awarded licenses for web-based sports bets in Germany are Betfair of the UK and Jaxx, its German rival, even though although these will only apply in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

The Schleswig-Holstein state government said that it was a step towards the liberalization of the German market after it had licensed the two companies and state-owned operator Oddset to offer online sports betting until 2018.

Head of Betfair’s central European operation, Peter Reinhardt, called the decision “a good day for consumers, providers and for sport”. On gambling services, it receives tens of millions a year from German states’ taxation.

Against the gambling monopolies of Germany’s 16 regions, Betfair has led the charge. To do business across the region, it is a regime that was declared in breach of European laws guaranteeing companies freedom.

The 16 state governments were forced to reform the system by the 2010 ruling by the European Court of Justice that led to 15 states adopting cautious reforms and only Schleswig-Holstein adopting fuller liberalization.

This split means companies licensed in Schleswig-Holstein will only be allowed to provide services there. They are the first of the states to enact new legislation. They could land with legal complaints filed by other state governments, if they failed to do so.

The state election in Schleswig-Holstein is another uncertainty. Opinion polls suggest that a Social Democrat-led administration could replace the centre-right government and it might adopt a different gambling policy.

Schleswig-Holstein plans to shun a more weighty tax on customer bets by planning to tax online betting companies’ gross profits at 20 per cent. This is something that other states are aiming for and the providers say that this would not be feasible.

License all comers has been pledged by Germany’s most northern state if they can prove they are equipped to run online casinos and betting services. The other states want to cap the number of commercial providers.

For blocking the opponent in various situations, backgammon players have numerous maneuvering options even though in the game of backgammon, a chance plays an important role.

In the following write up, several winning backgammon strategies have been mentioned. For a newbie, it is advisable to keep the following strategies in mind, as it could come handy in a game of backgammon.

The Running Game Strategy
If one of your first rolls is 5-6, you can consider this approach. This means that, from your opponent’s home board to his outer board, you can quickly move your checker. In addition, you could use this tactic to hit any of your checkers, if there are no further chances for your opponent when you are likely to pass all of them or if you have passed them all.

The holding game strategy
The holding game means that in the opponents’ home board area, you keep a point. The better your chances to win, whenever higher the position. In case you are hit, you have at least one point where to land when re-entering and you may hit easier bloats in opponent’s outer board.

Priming game strategy
One should build a wall of checkers (2 checkers for each point), while making use of this strategy, thereby covering 6 points at once. Some kind of luck and some certain skills are demanded in this strategy.

Bold Play
Bold Play strategy is to tempt the opponent into hitting or to create advantageous positions by taking risks by exposing blots. Risk-taking strategy could spell losing the game, although it may lead to victory too.

Backgammon tournament is a knockout event. For any other such event, e.g. a tennis tournament, the draw is made in the identical way. To a certain number of points, each round is played. In the later rounds, the number of points you need to win increases. The early rounds might be up to 5 points, in a Backgammon tournament of 64 people, the semifinals up to 7 points and the finals up to 9 points. Backgammon tournament lasts more than one day and probably four days. To win in each round, the number of points needed is much higher.

Doubling is allowed in Backgammon tournaments. Gammons and backgammons count double and triple as usual. Crawford Rule (invented by the late, great American bridge and Backgammon player, John Crawford) is change from the normal rule about doubling is now commonly played.

There are several websites with free backgammon games and regular stakes, if you are still not sure about joining an online backgammon tournament. Besides promotions and bonus offers, there is a massive variety of games and money prizes.

There is nothing as if the excitement of playing in a live backgammon tournament and winning a match will take you to another higher level of fun. To advance your game, it is a great experience and a fun way. It is strongly recommended to everyone to take the time to get out to your local club or tournament and play.

In what appears to be the largest crackdown on illegal online gambling to date, the FBI shut down three of the biggest poker websites. For an interview, Representatives of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake did not take action to appeals. While those activities have been described as unlawful by provincial authorities, Kahnawake has consistently maintained its right to legalize, license and host online gambling operations.

In a bid to battle with Kahnawake’s clients, to provide enhanced consumer protection and direct gamblers’ dollars to their coffers, Loto-Québec and B.C. Lottery Corp. recently began proposing online gambling, including poker.

According to the accusation, vice president of SunFirst Bank of Utah, defendant John Campos, is indicted in swap over for a $10 million “investment,” and processing gambling revenues. On Monday, Campos is anticipated to make his foremost court appearance.

Forbes had said that PokerStars and Full Tilt, two of the world’s largest online gaming houses account for about $1.4 billion in revenues. Scheinberg and Bitar are located outside the United States and they have not been arrested. To secure their arrests and assets, the government said it was working with foreign governments and Interpol.

Prosecutors allege that offshore gambling websites, PokerStars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker worked around the U.S. endorsed a law in 2006 and sustained operating in the U.S. The law banned banks from processing payments for such offshore gambling websites.

With over one million active online customer account holders, William Hill was one of the earliest to enter the market, accepting first internet bets in 1998, and is the most profitable online betting operation in the UK.

Chief Executive Officer of William Hill Online Henry Birch described the awards ceremony as a proud night for everyone at the company. He said in a statement regarding the award that this is a fantastic achievement for William Hill Online. In winning the ‘Online Company of the Year Award’ it recognizes the contribution of every single employee in the company irrespective of function or location.

Editor of Betview Magazine Justin O’Regan said that the awards represent the very best that the British and Irish betting industry has to offer excellence in customer service and social responsibility coupled with tremendous business acumen and innovative thinking.

Since 1934 the company’s land based counterpart has been taking bets and is among the leading bookmakers in Britain. Established in 1998, William Hill Online has been one of the leaders in the online gaming industry in Britain and Ireland for over a decade.

Including horse racing, tennis and soccer matches from around the world, William Hill Online offers over 500,000 sports betting opportunities per week. With games available on the iPhone and Android smartphone operating systems, the company is also expanding into mobile gaming.

CEO of Betfair, David Yu said that the double taxation that the company is now facing would be prevented by this move. On the business, both the local and national governments impose taxes. Nearly US$32 million in taxes per year is expected to be saved by the company, if it moves to Gibraltar. Two other giants of the UK online gaming industry, Ladbrokes and William Hill have followed the same tactics to save revenue. Yu added that the firm will benefit from synergies and major share of revenue will be saved through tax.

On the same period a year earlier, the firm also announced its revenues were up 6.2 per cent, despite poor weather and a decrease in average poker spending. To escape the government’s gambling levy, Betfair too will join a host of bookmakers who have shifted offshore. The government-owned Tote runs casino and bingo from Alderney, and its poker site from Malta, while both Ladbrokes and William Hill have situated some of their online operations in Gibraltar.

Saying in a statement that Betfair will improve its profits by £10m in 2012, it has not officially revealed how much tax it will save, after taking costs into account.

CEO Baby Tyawa said that in the number of illegal online gambling operations nationally, the NGB has identified an increase. She said there are no lawfully licensed online gambling operators or service providers in South Africa and online gambling is illegal in South Africa. She added that the law does not change for the pending court litigation between South African regulators and Piggs Peak Casino as it applies nor render online gambling activities legal to operate in this country.

The NGB appeals to RSA residents to refrain from engaging in online gambling and there are no lawfully licensed online gambling operators or service providers in the country. In and outside the country, neither has the NGB and provincial gambling regulators licensed any suppliers or developers of online gambling software.

In any online gambling activities, as such, participation contravenes the Lotteries Act No 57 of 1997 and the National Gambling Act No 7 of 2004 respectively; RSA residents remain precluded from partaking in lotteries organized abroad or participating. In online gambling activities, as such acts contravene the Act, the NGB appeals to the public and illegal operators to refrain from engaging and would result in the forfeiture of any winnings accumulated from such illegal activities and criminal prosecutions.

From being accessed in South Africa, unlicensed operators are encouraged to use readily available technology and block their domains. To cease operations (i.e. development, supply, and maintenance of online gambling software) forthwith, unlicensed suppliers of online gambling software and related products to operators who target RSA residents are encouraged.

To eradicate online gambling as well as related offences, the NGB assures the public that everything will be done. The CEO of the NGB said that with law enforcement agencies nationally and internationally, they are working together to find a solution that will protect our people against unscrupulous operators.

Information and skills would be shared by the Nevada gaming regulators and Alderney officials. between the two bodies, visits will be exchanged. André Wilsenach, chief executive officer of the Alderney Gambling Control Commission said that they are looking forward to work with Nevada Gaming control Board in the areas of investigations.

Currently Nevada gaming regulators are looking into the suitability of 888 Gaming. For Caesars Entertainment, 888 Gaming operate online gaming sites in Britain, including a site based on the World Series of Poker, which are signs that Nevada may be preparing to eventually offer online gaming to its citizens. Last April, the investigation had started and it is still ongoing.

According to Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli, for the future of gambling, these companies will help Nevada. He said that there is no doubt the internet gaming world is moving quickly. To form these alliances, we have realized that it is important for Nevada. He added that they need to look at the places where internet gaming is regulated and thereby engaging these regulators. To reach the ability to regulate online casinos and other gambling operators appropriately is obviously the aim for the Nevada gambling regulators. Nevada has turned to one of the leading control bodies in the world for consultation on how to safely coordinate online gambling because these days there are mechanisms existing, which are able to prevent problematic and underage gambling.

For Nevada, this agreement may be only a start. To regulations, Gaming Control Board is known for its strict approach so Alderney Commission may not be the only oversight organization that the state of Nevada signs an agreement. Before any actions on online gambling regulations are taken by lawmakers, the main aim for this activity is to gather as much information as possible.

With California and Florida, New Jersey had been in a race to become the first state in the country to regulate online poker and other games. If the legislation becomes reality, millions of dollars are expected to be pumped into the state economy and budget.

With three abstentions, the Assembly voted 63-11 and the Senate vote was 34-2. Even though lawmakers say they are waiting to see whether Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, will sign the measure into law. The move would put New Jersey ahead of other states that are moving to grab the online gaming market, what the supporters say. Although others remained cautious, saying that the state should not put itself in possible violation of federal law.

Because of the legal battle that will follow on a federal level, the governor is a Republican, and may receive a little pressure not to sign the bill. In the past year, Christie has been an advocate of expanded gambling to help Atlantic City casinos, so the expectation is that he will sign the bill.

For New Jersey, the federal laws will create an uncertain block. New Jersey will have to be careful of how they regulate the Internet gaming industry, while states have the right to create their own laws. Monitoring to ensure that only New Jersey residents gamble at the online sites will be one key factor.

All through the US, the revolutionary vote today should have major consequences. While dozens of other states will monitor how the online gaming industry takes shape in New Jersey, California lawmakers will possibly step up their efforts to regulate online poker.

Chiva Tafazzoli, WBA president announced that he was glad that Play65 and World Backgammon Association have joined offline and online efforts to promote backgammon more globally. His new partner and co-founder of Play65 Daniel Mester added that when the best online backgammon platform meets the most established, dedicated and successful offline partner – great things are expected.

For the 2011 season of the eight-stop European Backgammon Tour (EBGT), the members of the popular online backgammon room will be provided with exclusive online qualifiers and to its closing Grand Finale. For the first time, its players will be allowed to accumulate “Masterpoints” and to share the same ranking ladder with experienced offline backgammon players. Offline backgammon players from varied European communities would enjoy a better, bigger, and richer European Backgammon Tour.

The successful European Backgammon Tour, in its fifth season will include eight stops in different backgammon locations; will be closing in Cyprus on Cyprus after starting in Turkey on February. The winner will win entry to a live EBGT event, in every Play65/EBGT satellite, and a free VIP Club membership for a month will be compensated to the finalists. The best players in online and offline backgammon will compete for the € 15,000 grand prize in the EBGT Grand Finale, which is expected to start by May and it will be followed a series of monthly satellite tournaments.