eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, adoringly known as eCOGRA to the online gambling community at large, has issued it's end of year report citing disputes and complaints for 2007. Fair gambling and player advocate for eCOGRA, Tex Rees, prepared the report, which looks promising in light of eCOGRA's non-profit mission to protect players and ensure fair gaming standards are met by its approved online casino operators.

For anyone unfamiliar with eCOGRA, it's important to understand just how important the service they provide actually is. eCOGRA issues "Play it Safe" Seals to online casino operators who meet strict standards of compliance in the areas of fair gaming and customer service. Not only must operators meet initial requirements at the time of applying for the seal, they are continuously monitored for continued compliance. This entails submitting their software data logs for monthly payout verification reports, as well working with eCOGRA mediators if and when player disputes or complaints arise.

Considering that eCOGRA oversees some 120 online casinos (see our eCOGRA Casinos page for reviews of Online Casino Suite's top-rated eCOGRA approved sites), not to mention the fact that all of these sites have thousands of active online gamblers, it would be easy to conclude that Ms. Rees at eCOGRA would need an assistant to sort through a flood of complaints. Well, she doesn't. And that's because there was no flood of complaints in 2007. In fact, the average number of complaints per month per eCOGRA approved online casino was 44.

Although the total number of complaints collected in 2007 was up from the previous year, 138 of the 783 complaints were deemed invalid due to not being within the jurisdiction of eCOGRA (meaning complaints against online casinos not bearing the eCOGRA seal of approval) or did not contain sufficient information to validate the claims. While there is a good chance most of the invalid claims were from unscrupulous players trying to earn a quick buck or disgruntled parties who did not read the terms of conditions for opening a real money account and/or claiming a free cash bonus, it goes without saying that when you open an account at an online casino - no matter how good its reputation and credentials - to always read the T&C's and to save every correspondence with customer service.

Overall, the number of legitimate complaints was us, which Rees says is likely due to more players being aware of eCOGRA's mediation services. Indeed, there was a time when players gambled at eCOGRA online casinos and didn't even what eCOGRA was! However, the last few years eCOGRA has been aggressive in educating players and in 2006 conducted the largest survey of online gamblers to date.

Other figures in Rees report show 47% of complaints were regarding payout issues, 28% were regarding bonus issues, 21% were regarding locked accounts and 4% were miscellaneous. The most promising statistics in the report show that 68% of all legitimate player disputes were successfully resolved in favor of the player. Well, if that's not a good reason why a player advocate and mediator is necessary in the online gambling industry, I don't know what is. You go eCOGRA.

Just around the corner on March 19, 2008 is slated eCOGRA's third annual Responsible Gambling training initiative. In collaboration with Gamcare - the UK's leading gambling addiction support center and counseling group - eCOGRA will be hosting the two-day training course in London with accredited eCOGRA online casino operators in attendance.

Not just any type of training, the interactive program will cover every aspect of being a responsible gambling site operator according the strict standards of both Gamcare and eCOGRA. Based on newly enacted UK online gambling regulations, which eCOGRA helped to shape through consultation, the session is designed to help operators implement measures that will effectively help identify problem gamblers and deal with them accordingly.

The main points of interest will be player protection, communication and dissemination of information to help prevent gambling addictions and give players the resources to spot signs within themselves and take actions of self-exclusion. More specifically, the course will focus on the fine line between intervention and interaction. In other words, online casino operators will be guided on how to best "interact" with problem gamblers, as deemed by the UK Gambling Act.

Doing more than any other organization to introduce standards of fair and responsible online gambling, eCOGRA is undoubtedly the best suited host for such an event. Having divulged its Play it Safe Seal to over 120 online casinos, eCOGRA has been instrumental in protecting online gamblers in an industry, which at one time was largely unregulated and unchecked. With an increasing number of casino operators becoming familiar with this growing non-profit, not to mention the players themselves, this year's seminar will surely inspire even larger seminars in the years to come.

If you didn't know already, when it comes to fair online gambling (meaning you get good odds and don't play at any rogue, cheating online casinos), it all begins with the software. There is nothing more important than ensuring the online casino you gamble at uses inherently fair software.

Just like in the land-based gambling world, where slot machines operate according to a software source code, which in turn, powers the Random Number Generator responsible for determining game results, online casinos are powered in the same manner. The software is programmed in its original state, thus making it impossible for casino operators to alter the odds without going unnoticed. This is precisely why gamblers should be weary gambling at online casinos that use their own in-house proprietary software or software platforms that haven't been properly accredited.

One of the industry's most renowned online casino software testing facility is Technical Systems Testing, who recently announced they are to open a London office. This is only fitting, considering the large number of UK based online casinos now using TST certified software, such as the Wager Works powered Virgin Casino, not to mention the best RTG Casinos.

One of the most popular TST certified software platforms, however, is Real Time Gaming, whose online casino licensees like the US-facing Rushmore Casino, have become synonymous with outstanding online gambling. The TST approval, which Rushmore displays on their website certainly carries a lot of weight. Largely identifiable in North America and Australia, TST's expansion into England is a sign of the company's commitment to this blossoming online gambling market.

Last year, TST was approved by the UK Gambling Commission to serve as an official testing house for online casino and gambling software platforms. Need I say more. Congratulations is in order for TST, whose contribution to fair gaming standardization and player trust is invaluable.

As the rise of mahjong continues strong, reaching further into both the online gambling industry and that of the Western world, companies with gaming interests are making moves to ensure the continued expansion and survival of this blossoming sector. Take for instance, World Mahjong Tour Inc. (fitting name, eh?), who just took over the Chinese online gambling software firm, 945i.com.

Unfamiliar to English ears, 945i is based in Chengdu, China, and is approximately only three years old. Having already developed a suite of traditional Chinese games into an online software platform, including Sichuan and Chinese Mahjong, Chinese Chess, Junqi, Traktor Poker and more, 945i certainly has come a long way in just three short years.

While the Western World has grown more warm to online mahjong, the Asian market is still the primary force behind its demand. Knowing this will not likely change, it appears that World Mahjong Tour will be marketing the games in China. World Mahjong Tour founders, David Wang and Pierre Wuu made it clear they intend to capitalize on the "fastest growing gaming market in the world", and that they intend to do so with its own branded websites.

Being a software provider, this will ultimately consist of licensing deals with direct service operators, which is the same type of relationship that online casinos have with casino software developers. In other words, this position will give a great amount of responsibility to World Mahjong Tour in how the Asian online gaming industry is shaped. Just like pioneering online casino software developers Microgaming and Cryptologic continue to lead the way in online gambling innovations and protocols, WMT will have great influence in the same respect.

The acquisition will allow WMT to immediately begin offering both play-money and real-money online gambling. However, knowing all too well that in order to stay at the top WMT will need to continue developing new technologies, they have hired 945i's founder, Garret Lin as their new Director of Technology.

I don't know about anyone else, but doesn't it seem a little hypocritical of the French to exclude foreign betting operators from accepting wagers from French citizens, but yet the French government can accept bets from other European citizens? Well, at least the European Commission has taken note. As reported by Casinowire, France's land-based and online gambling monopoly, Partouche, is preparing to launch a new online sports betting website just in time for the Euro 2008 Football Championships.

Intending to cater to the UK market, Partouche will apparently be using the recognizable face of former Manchester United star, Eric Cantona on the website. They also plan to prominently display some links to an online poker room on the Red Planet platform. Okay, if that doesn't sound like catering to UK online gamblers, then somebody please fix me a drink.

I suppose in order to skirt around France's protectionist gambling laws, the French monopoly will not be accepting bets from French citizens. But UK players, dig in! The French want to milk you dry and offer nothing in return. Oh, let's be fair. Odds. Yes, they'll offer us odds. What gets me even more are the ties that Partouche has with former 888 CEO, Vahe Baloulian (now the current CEO of Red Planet). If you are new to the block, let's just say that 888 will milk you dry as well!

The only thing else I have to say is that I hope UK bettors make a stand against Partouche, no matter how good the bonus offer. Hopefully, the European Commission will have their say first and put these mobsters in their place. Negotiations are apparently taking place as I write this, so we shall just have to wait and see.