The question at hand is this: Can we use the new Paypal Plug-in to fund our online casino accounts?
In case you haven’t checked this out, Paypal has just launched the new Paypal Plug-in. Here’s the video and a transcription of what it says:
The new paypal plugin lets you shop securely and easily even on websites where paypal is not accepted. So how can the plugin help you? Let’s say you’re buying a gift for your mom online. With the plugin you can fill in your shipping and billing details with just one click at checkout. No more typing the same information again and agan every time you shop. If the site doesn’t accept paypal, no problem! The secure cards feature lets you generate a single use mastercard number to pay for your purchase. You’ll never have to worry about exposing your credit card information again. Want to keep all your receipts in one place? You can use the plugin to save them and review them at any time at paypal.com. It’s a great way to track all your shopping activity. The plugin sits at your internet browser, so it’s always at your fingertips. The paypal plugin lets you use paypal anywhere online. Download it today and go shopping!
Paypal Plug-in Features:
Use Secure Cards to shop anywhere online
Save and print your receipts
Enter addresses with 1 click during checkout
Avoid fraudulent websites
Check your balance right from your browserPaypal Plugin System Requirements:
Mac users cannot install the PayPal Plug-In at this time. However, you can still use the Secure Cards feature of the plug-in. How it works:
- Go to the Secure Cards page.
- Generate a unique MasterCard Secure Card number.
- Note the card number, expiration date, and the CVC2.
- Enter these details at checkout.
Now, I can’t confirm that this method is still working, but we’ll go over the details anyway. The way it works is based around the fact that PayPal isn’t usable to fund casino accounts directly. So what we’ll do is transfer Paypal funds over to a third party and then buy casino chips using that third party. This what you have to do.
First, open an account with a prepaid VISA card provider (you can use Account Now VISA in this example. Minimum age for the prepaid credit card is 14 - no joke). Once you’ve filled out the form, you transfer money over from PayPal over to your Account Now credit card - at no cost to you. Now, fund your online casino account using the prepaid VISA credit card. UPDATE: A reader has mentioned that Account Now has written in their Terms & Conditions that “You may not use your Card for any illegal transactions, at casinos, or any gambling activity.” So that’s out of the question. There may be other prepaid credit cards that do allow this - if you know of any, please discuss in the comments section.
Well, I’ve taken a look at the PayPal User Agreement. Here’s what it says about gambling:
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that involve gambling and/or gaming activities, including, but not limited to casino games, sports betting, horse or greyhound racing, lottery tickets, certain games of skill, and other ventures that facilitate gambling unless the operator has obtained prior approval from PayPal and the operator and customers are located exclusively in jurisdictions where such gambling activities are permitted by law. Using the Service to receive payments for wagers, gambling debts or gambling winnings, regardless of the location or type of gambling activity in violation of the Acceptable Use policy.
The penalities are these:
If you violate the Acceptable Use Policy as set forth below in clauses (a), (b), (c), or (d) below, then we may hold your funds up to 180 Days, may fine you up to $2,500.00 USD for each such violation and may take legal action against you to recover additional losses we incur.
Notice it doesn’t say anything about USING PayPal to fund an online casino account using a prepaid credit card or the PayPal plug-in. So maybe it’s acceptable using an indirect method?
Is the PayPal plug-in an indirect and legal method of funding your online casino account?
Continue reading...31. May 2008
PartyGaming, the company behind PartyPoker.com, has reached a settlement with the United States government. Executives from the online casino company are now able to travel to and from the United States with absolutely no legal repercussions. PartyGaming Founder Ruth Parasol was not able to travel to the United States up to this point, as the government was making lives difficult for those online gambling websites that accepted bets and wagers from those in the United States before the UIGEA anti-gambling law came into effect in 2006.
The original plan by the United States government was to impose major fines and even prison time for these PartyGaming executives. However, that all seems like it’s water under the bridge at this point and the government may just let bygones be bygones.
The business world has taken note of the change of heart by the United States government on the casino, as shares of PartyGaming went up 10%, which is the biggest jump for the casino company since October 2005. Sportingbet PLC, which owns Paradise Poker, jumped 7.6% and 888 Holdings PLC had its shares jump 3.5%. Business analysts feel that this settlement by the United States government may spawn new casino acquisitions and mergers as it seems like the climate for online casino gaming is improving in the United States of America.
Before the passing of the UIGEA act, PartyPoker was the world’s largest online poker brand (based on ring game revenue and number of players) - the challenge was that 70% of their customers were from the United States and after leaving the USA casino market their revenues have dropped. PartyPoker is currently the 4th biggest poker website. Although PartyGaming and PartyPoker still does not allow customers from the United States, let’s hope this development allows more online casinos to have faith in the United States market and jump back in.
Continue reading...20. May 2008
Little Danica Foster is taking baby steps in her development - she can play peek-a-boo and can make baby sounds - her parents say they can understand her every sound. How she was sent a complaint by an Internal Collections Department of a major online casino is a little harder to understand.
Mark Foster of Custer City, Oklahoma was flabbergasted when he received a formal complaint in the mail from a major online casino addressed to his 6-month-old daughter. The letter demanded the balance of $16,857 to be paid in full immediately to prevent having the file referred to a collections agency. Neither Mark nor his wife Stacy were named in the letter - and what’s worse, neither Mark nor Stacy are casino players.
“Me and my wife were just completely appalled and disgusted,” said Mark. “I mean, this casino is sending a bill to my 6-month-old daughter demanding her to pay ten thousand dollars? That’s just sick in my mind and they should be ashamed of themselves. When I demanded to know what games were played in the casino, they told me that most of the games played were on a slot machine game called Mid-Life Crisis. Yeah that makes sense, a 6-month-old baby playing a slot machine game called Mid-Life Crisis. This whole situation is just beyond ridiculous for us right now.”
Mark says he’s taken steps to contact the casino and explain that no one in his household has played there, but the casino insists that the charges are accurate and that immediate payment is demanded otherwise legal action will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law against his daughter. Mark believes that someone has stolen his daughter’s identity and used the identity to play in the online casino.
“We are all really scared right now of these guys. We really are,” says concerned mother Stacy. “They’ve threatened to sue us and to even sue our daughter. They even threatened to go after the college fund that we’ve saved for her and worked so hard for. It’s really terrifying for us and we want this situation to just go away.”
This is the latest item they’ve received from the casino:
Your information is going to be referred for derogatory 3rd party credit reporting to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion if this matter is not resolved. You may want to begin seeking independent legal counsel, as this outstanding balance will not simply disappear because you claim that your daughter’s identity was allegedly stolen.
They have already hired a lawyer for this situation and their legal counsel has requested them to not name the casino involved at the present time. We’ll keep you updated as to how this situation unfolds.
Continue reading...12. May 2008
CryptoLogic, one of the biggest casino software industry tycoons of our present time, has announced a new launch of casino games.
The end result of this launch? Seven brand new online arcade games for the casino videogaming crowd. Big jackpots, crazy cool cutting-edge graphics and top-notch action. They just pulled off a soft launch of these new arcade products and they’ve gotten a great response - so the launch is now official.
I’ll admit it: I was hooked on Street Fighter II when it first came out. Favorite character was Guile (the blonde guy on the right of the picture with the huge hair), throwing down some Sonic Booms and Flash Kicks up in my competitor’s face. It was a huge hit in the eighties - all of it created by two Japanese developers, Matsumoto and Nishiyama. Well, Cryptologic (via WagerLogic) is bringing this classic video game to the casino market. In the video game, you can select any of the Street Fighter characters (Ken, Ryu, Guile, Chun-Li or Sagat for example), adjust their customes, and then throw down your moves against the evil Bison in a wild re-spin feature. The action is at a high level, with a pretty decent difficulty - tons of enemies to defeat. Of course, seeing huge paydays from your Street Fighter game playing will keep you focused. Newly designed 3D graphics are included in the 25 pay line release - and of course you can get your practice on with play money and then move your way up to real cash. Bonus features abound, with substitute symbols and the chance to multiply each line bet by 5000 times as a top bet.
“CryptoLogic delivers unique games that engage and entertain players around the world - and our latest casino games demonstrate our deep commitment to the player experience. ” says CryptoLogic’s CEO and President Brian Hadfield. “Just as Street Fighter profoundly changed the world of video games, Cryptologic innovations are profoundly changing the world of internet casinos - for the benefit of customers and players alike. Comic book characters that have a story behind them and have storylines that can be integrated and woven into slot machines in a gaming experience really do translate well and players love the experience.”
Other games in this Cryptologic release include Movie Mayhem, Fantasy Realm, Silent Screen, Sunday Afternoon Classics, and Outta Space Adventure. If you want a little more humor in your video game playing, you’re going to want to check out Dad’s Day In - a look at what might happen if Dad is left in charge of the household for a day - and Roamin’ Gnome - great travel-themed adventure game where you play as a crazy gnome traveling the world to different countries on a map to unveil prizes.
“CryptoLogic’s latest casino games showcase the player knowledge, creativity and talent of our software team - and the innovation that will help our licensees attract and build player loyalty,” says Cryptologic Vice President Justin Thouin. “Street Fighter really ignited the fighting game genre. I think the series has sold more than 500,000 coin operated units and 24 million console games worldwide, so this is a massive brand with huge global popularity and I think it’s going to be a phenomenal experience for players.”
You can play Street Fighter right now at InterCasino and rolling out to OmniCasino, CSCasino, and PlayboyGaming.
Continue reading...19. April 2008
At first, there were only rumors.
Now it’s official. ePassporte is shutting down all services for the online casino community.
On April 11th, the most popular and remaining payment solution went down for most of the day, claiming that they were having some technical issues. However, news later broke that online casinos were advising their customers that the payment solution ePassporte will no longer be servicing customers in the United States.
Apparently, ePassporte will not be able to continue to provide e-wallet services, and that the problem is not limited a few casino rooms, but is in fact industry wide. Other reports also conclude that the problem is “worldwide” and is not isolated in the United States market. ePassporte is based outside of the United States. A few days after the news broke, reports show that customers are no longer able to withdraw monies using the ePassporte ATM.
According to multiple online sources, there will be a widespread investigation against the payment solution company. This only adds to the current turmoil, as 2007 was a rough year for many casino websites and players, as many payment processors, such as NETeller, EcoCard, Citadel and FirePay, shut down unexpectedly. 2008 may run a similar course.
A majority of online poker rooms have been using and relying heavily on ePassporte, since other processors have closed down - with Neteller being a notable one, when it was forced to exit the US online casino market. At the time, Neteller was the largest payment solution. It seems that ePassporte is having the same problems as those of Neteller and MyCitadel. Perhaps this is a result of a breach in security, where monies are getting transferred from unsuspecting clients accounts without their knowledge and consent.
Online sources speculate that ePassporte has flaws in its system. There are reports of unauthorized transactions and many anomalies, not to mention that the customer service is not also responding to either calls or e-mail inquiries regarding clients’ accounts. Also, any requests for physical Visa cards from them are taking forever to get processed.
One reader relayed his story about his request for a physical Visa card. He paid the $40 to get it and he still has not received anything from ePassporte. The third time he called he finally was able to speak to a customer representative and was informed that the card had been sent weeks earlier and that he should have received it already. The customer service representative then said they blocked the old card and they will be sending a new one, but still nothing was ever received.
With this official announcement, the problem surrounding ePassporte is scary for most of the online casino community. It can hurt many online casino players, since this is one of the few payment solutions that cater to the US customers. It would be well advised to review other payment solutions as it doesn’t seem like ePassporte will be returning to the casino market any time soon.
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5. June 2008
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