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In what appears to be a result that challenges previous industry studies, a British academic has presented research results at the British Psychological Society’s Social Psychology Conference that claims online gamblers are ten times more likely to run into problem casino gambling issues than punters who gamble offline.

Dr. Mark Griffiths, a professor at Nottingham Trent University said that his research project “The internet gambling: A secondary analysis of findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey” was based on data from the current British Gambling Prevalence Survey. He claimed that this showed that the level of problem gambling among those who had used the internet to gamble, some 5 percent of those surveyed, was ten times higher than that among those who did not.

“This study’s findings suggest that the medium of the internet may be more likely to contribute to problem gambling than gambling in offline environments,” Professor Griffiths observed. “It is clear that gaming companies need to acknowledge they will need to provide even better social responsibility infrastructures online than offline to minimise the harm to problem gamblers.”

The British Gambling Prevalence Survey study on which Griffiths based his findings used data from a survey of 9 003 adults aged 16 years and over who had gambled online and/or used a betting exchange in the last 12 months. The research was done in collaboration with the National Centre for Social Research and Professor Jim Orford of the University of Birmingham, and was funded by the UK Gambling Commission.

Griffiths touched on finding solutions for problem gamblers, saying: “There is also the issue of how internet problem gamblers can be helped. Recent research suggests that online problem gamblers appear to prefer to seek help online, therefore online help, guidance and treatment may be a potential way forward to help those who may feel too stigmatised to seek traditional face-to-face help for their gambling problems.”

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Vienna-listed online gambling group Bwin, fresh from its acquisition of Italy’s Gioco Digitale has announced another commercial coup by securing a majority shareholding in UnitedGames, a leading European massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) publisher and developer.

The United Games deal is Bwin’s first venture into the MMOG market, and it gives the Austrian casino gambling group access to a UG playerbase of over 17 million players in 178 countries.

“UnitedGames brings a lot of interesting technology and know-how to the relationship and we look forward to taking online gaming to the next stage of evolution,” said Bwin co-chief executive Manfred Bodner this week.

United Games was founded in 2007 in the Netherlands, and provides localisation for its games including marketing, translations and community support.

“Bwin and UnitedGames are extraordinary partners and this combination will have a huge impact on the online gaming market,” UnitedGames chief executive Marijn Harinck commented.

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The Isle of Man online gambling software provider microgaming games has reported the launch this week of its latest bingo licensee, Giggle Bingo.

Giggle Bingo players will have the option of playing in both fully networked and private bingo rooms, offering classic 90-ball and 75-ball Bingo, as well as slots, scratchcards and casino games, to maximise player entertainment.

Uniquely, the site offers the opportunity to interact on Giggle Bingo’s player community platform, comprising of several chat rooms, moderated by chat hosts all day and every day to facilitate a safe, fun and social bingo experience. New players to online bingo are also offered information about chat phrases and bingo etiquette to help them feel truly part of the interactive gaming experience from day one.

The marketing manager at Giggle Bingo comments: “As a new operator launching in the dynamic online Bingo sector, it was vital that our selected software partner embodied the creativity and ambition that lies at the heart of Giggle Bingo. Microgaming were the obvious software provider of choice in every respect, and we are delighted with the results of our partnership in bringing this new and compelling Bingo site to market. With Microgaming’s innovative software capability complimenting the site’s unrivalled new offers, promotions and social environment, we are confident that Giggle Bingo provides players with the ultimate Bingo experience.”

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Across the world from the Kiev EPT, another major casino tournament is nearing its climax as the Asian Poker Tour at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau sees some thrilling main event final casino gambling table action.

This year’s main casino event saw an increase in the HK $ 34 400 buy-in entrance field for the main event to 326 players (2008: 257 registrations), prompting APT CEO Chris Parker to comment: “One year ago we projected that we would get 300 runners for the Main Event so we are delighted with the turnout, especially in the current economic climate. It vindicates our decision to transform The Asian Poker Tour Macau into a 12 day festival.

“What is hugely encouraging is the growth of Asian players in the field, which bodes very well for the future. For example, on Day 1A just over 50 percent of the field was from Asia. We have also significantly increased the online qualifier contingent in comparison to 2008.”

The final table looked like this when the action started this weekend:

Seat 1: Casey Kastle (130,000)
Seat 2: Winfred Yu (61,000)
Seat 3: David Steicke (876,000)
Seat 4: J.C. Tran (444,000)
Seat 5: Adrien Allain (482,000)
Seat 6: Michael Woo (64,000)
Seat 7: Inwook Choi (934,000)
Seat 8: Chris Chau (143,000)
Seat 9: Crister Hallbrook (132,000)

As the low man on the chip counts, it was perhaps not surprising that Kastle was the first to head railwards after only ten minutes of play, earning $16 966 for his efforts. Within minutes, he was followed by Winfred Yu, eliminated in 8th for $26 112 by chip leader Inwook Choi.

Crister Hallbrook lasted a little longer before being busted out by Internet pro Adrien Allain in the seventh spot for $39 167, to be followed quickly by sixth-placed Michael Woo, who collected $52 223 from the cashier after being taken out - again by a rampant Allain.

Chris Chau went out in fifth place following a combination of hits from Allain and Inwook Choi, taking home $65 279 for his time and trouble.

After some exciting confrontations with J.C. Tran, David Steicke finally reached the end of the road in a clash with Choi which sent him to the rail in fourth place with a cheque for $91 378, leaving a threesome of Allain, Choi and JC Tran battling for superiority as went to press.

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A 21-year-old Russian pro became the European poker tours first Russian champion over the weekend when he took down the Euro 5 000 buy-in PokerStars EPT Kiev and claimed the main gambling prize of Euro 330 000. Maxim Lykov survived an entry field of 296 players from 33 countries before facing Ukrainian Alexander Dovzhenko in the heads up.

It was an exciting run, with Lykov generally mastering the field from Day 2 and online casinos dominating much of the action through to the brief heads up. The win brings the young Russian’s career winnings up to Euro 600 000.

Lykov intends entering many more EPT events with his expanded bankroll, providing more talent and daring for the railbirds in future events.

In a tournament that exhibited plenty of Slavic audacity and frequent all-ins, Vadim Markushevski from Belarus was the first casualty about an hour into the hectic action, bundled out by Dovzhenko. About half-an-hour later he was followed by German player Torsten Tent, who was sent home in 7th place with Euro 45 000 for his time and trouble after tangling with Lykov.

Lykov went on to take out Dutchman Ad Schaap, who’s sixth placing was worth Euro 60 000. Play settled down for several hours before the next elimination, that of Lucasz Plichta of Poland, who was busted out by Vitaly Tolokonnikov in fifth place for Euro 80 000. Fourth place elimination was Arthur Simonyan - another victim of Dovzhenko who picked up a Euro 100 000 cheque for the 4th spot.

Following the dinner break the three handed action really fired up, with Tolokonnikov taken out by Lykov for a third place reward of Euro 140 000, clearing the way to the Lykov vs. Dovzhenko heads up, with Lykov holding a 2 to 1 chip advantage.

That chip stack superiority and a bold, aggressive style of play overwhelmed Dovzhenko despite a determined resistance, giving the title, an entry into the Grand Final in Monte Carlo, the trophy and the Euro 330 000 to Lykov, and leaving his Ukrainian opponent with a second placing.

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