Norway took one step backwards in approving online gambling by voting in favor of a law that essentially bans the transfer of funds between citizens and online gambling operators. The law, which is due to be implemented in June this year, is directed against credit card companies and online payment processors.

Following the growing trend of mobile gaming around the world, the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino said that it had entered into a strategic partnership with Cantor Gaming to bring the eDeck mobile gaming device to the casino. Cantor Gaming already supplies its quality eDeck to a number of top casinos in Vegas, including the Palazzo and the Venetian.

Sega Games, which was formed by the Japanese video gaming group Sega Corporation to launch new online gambling brands, has announced that its two new sites will feature responsible gambling measures to ensure “an enjoyable gaming experience.”

It’s not every day that someone becomes one of the 1000 richest people in the United Kingdom, but that is what happened to a perfectly ordinary man on a perfectly ordinary Saturday morning this week. Nigel Page became £56 million richer literally overnight after he shared the top prize of £112 million in the EuroMillions lottery payout this week. Page, who lives in West Country with his partner and their three children, is absolutely stunned with his victory and has already created a long list of people who he would like to help out as a result of his good fortune.

The online gambling industry was excited to learn this week that the leading online casino operator, 888 has released five new games across a number of categories, in a bid to appeal to player diversity. 888 boasts literally millions of customers on its player-base and therefore has to ensure that everyone is kept happy with new and exciting game releases on a regular basis.

Estonia’s foremost land casino operator, Olympic Entertainment Group, announced the launch of the country’s very first online casino. The site, known as Olympic Online.com, offers players a good range of internet betting games and options in Russian, Estonian and English. Olympic said that there are currently 150 games to choose from.

Sensing that it is inevitable that online gambling will become a reality in the United States sooner rather than later, three former executives from Mastercards have set up a company to serve as a US subsidiary to the UK based payments processor, the UC Group.

The IGB Affiliate Award is an annual ceremony recognizing leaders and innovators in the iGaming Industry.  Winners are chosen based on industry popular vote as well as by a final committee.

PartyGaming, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, is endeavoring to boost their online casino site, Party Casino, by signing on former reality TV star and cricketer Phil Tufnell as their first celebrity ambassador.

After receiving 11 complaints about the irresponsibility of two online advertisements for Prime Scratchcards the UK Advertising Standards Authority decided to ban these advertisements.  The ads were viewed online at sites such as Facebook, Yahoo and MSN.