Microsoft, Yahoo and Google – the three largest Internet companies agreed on Wednesday to pay a combined $31.5 million to settle federal civil allegations that they had accepted ads for illegal internet gambling.
The companies said they stopped taking the ads years ago. The settlement was announced by Catherine L. Hanaway, the United States attorney for eastern Missouri, who said the investigation, conducted by her office, the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, dated to 2000. Negotiations have been going on for 12 to 18 months, she said.
Microsoft’s $21 million portion of the settlement includes a $4.5 million forfeiture, $7.5 million to be paid to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children and $9 million in public service ads over a three-year period, starting next year.
The public service campaign will aim the message that online gambling is illegal at those of college age and younger.
“We’re hopeful that our educational campaign will stop young people from gambling before they start,” the company said. Yahoo’s $7.5 million share of the settlement includes a $3 million forfeiture and $4.5 million in public service ads over three years.
Google will pay $3 million. A spokesman, Jon Murchinson, said the ads were in sponsored links at Google.com and other Web sites that belong to its ad network. “While we did not admit any wrongdoing, the Department of Justice has advised that online gambling is illegal in the United States, and ads to promote it are improper,” he said.
iGaming Execs Online Casino Singapore Troop to Macau for PCIG 2021
Pacific Conference to Bridge the Great Divide
The River City Group is to host its fifth annual conference aimed at bringing iGaming companies together to diminish the cultural gap between the East and West and capture their most sought after market: Asia.
Located in the luxury Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Macau on February 26-27, the Pacific Congress on iGaming Online Casino Singapore projects itself as the solution for global iGaming companies willing to expand their knowledge base to the necessary level to cater to the Asian markets and retain customer loyalty. The conference has been designed for growth, interaction, and exchange of expertise among regional executives and prospective business partners taking on the Pacific market.
River City Group CEO Sue Schneider confirmed that representatives within the Pacific Region, which include Asia, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand and are expected to among an attendance, forecasted to be higher than in previous years.
The conference is set to include various idea-exploring seminars that have been designed with the Asian market in mind. Confirmed topics include:
– Asian Culture / Market Discussion for Westerners.
– Exploring Solutions for Payment Processing.
– The Rise of Mobile Gambling.
– Lottery / Gaming Operation in China
– Asian Players and Poker?
– Player – to – Player gaming.
– Macau – The New Vegas!
– Horse racing in Asia.
On the sponsorship front, Playtech has been confirmed as the Title Sponsor for the event, with the cocktail reception, which stages key social and business networking opportunities, being sponsored by Continent 8 Technologies. Other sponsors include FunTown, Microgaming, Everest Poker, and FutureBet.
