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Probability is a mobile gaming company - listed on the London Stock Exchange and like many UK and European-facing online gambling businesses; are involved in preliminary negotiations with potential US joint venture partners. These negotiations are ahead of anticipated changes to online gambling regulations in the USA, if and when they take place. Currently things have not changed at Federal level but are starting to take shape locally.

While many experts in this industry believe forming JV partnerships with potential US partners is the right thing to do currently, others believe they are jumping the gun for a deregulated market place. However, it always pays to have a JV in place in anticipation of expected changes in any regulations. This is how certain businesses get the cream, while the latecomers lag behind and are left to pick up the dregs. Gambling is all about taking a risk, and everything about this business is a risk.

Charles Cohen - Chief Executive Officer of Probability, said that they were excited about prospects opening up in the USA, even on an intrastate basis (local markets). This group owns the LadyLuck and Moobile Games brands, and believes these both present the perfect scenario for the entry of mobile gambling into the USA marketplace. Mobile platforms also enable state authorities to determine location of user and this is a problem for gambling online. What US authorities want is compliance for intrastate online gambling and mobile fits the bill perfectly, because of this factor.

There are nearly 110 million American users of mobile phone apps, the smart-phone is big news in this country, and according to Cohen, the majority of these mobile phones are capable of running mobile games on the probability platform. He also said that the company intends to pursue any and all opportunities presented in this developing online gambling market. There are a number of interested parties in the USA who are keen to explore their options.

Today more online gamblers than ever before are exploring the mobile gaming genre, they are a breed of their own and are contributing massively to growth in this industry. Virtually all UK online gambling brands which offer mobile services are showing incredible results, with sport betting being one of the biggest growth sectors. As more gamblers play games on the go, Probability has seen their revenues hit record highs. Across the board gaming increased by 27% to close to £1.9 million between October and December of 2011, while deposits by customers increased by 48%. On Christmas Eve 2011, close to a cool £1 million was wagered.

They launched a television ad campaign last year in a in a bid to attract new custom, and this has paid off big time. Probability was also involved with talks with massive UK brand William Hill, and although these talks did not bear fruit, it certainly got them attention on the stock exchange and a share price which benefitted from the attention.

PokerStars has come a long way since the events of Black Friday – 15th April 2011. Unlike FullTilt, Absolute and UltimateBet Poker sites which were also closed down by the Department of Justice in the USA. Although they are a privately owned company, this website has rested on their laurels, paid back US and other members what they were owed and continued plying their trade. The fact that the brand was never closed down in France, and has gone on to become a new Belgian licensee tells us volumes about the product.

Besides being the largest online poker brand globally, and the online poker home to millions, one of the strangest things about this massive online operator is that they have never gone public. The events of Black Friday left an opening for public online poker companies to ply their trade under the auspices of being “better than” non listed brands. However, this does not appear to phase PokerStars and they genuinely continue to grow, under no pall from the fallout of April 15th. Despite the fact that PokerStars principal officers have been indicted under the same or similar charges as all the other sites offering services to USA players, that were closed down on the same day.

There are more registered members from countries across the entire world, playing at this online poker site, than at any other poker site. They offer all types of poker tournaments, both online and off, and a massive selection of game varieties running non-stop. This caters for every possible type of player, and offers all levels of player the opportunity to fine tune their game, as well as win big. The liquidity of this site is driven by the massive membership, and Members get to take advantage of huge prize pools because of this liquidity. It’s a win-win situation.

While marketers are encouraging online poker players to stick to more conventional brands – in other words listed brands that are more answerable to both country and company law, PokerStars has yet to let us down in any way. This is the site where the poker legends play, and where Isildur1 first felt confident enough to reveal his true identity. They offer millions of dollars worth of prizes each week as well as lots more incentives for real money players, but this site has something different about them – something more than just being a rewarding playing experience. Unlike all the rest, they have poker magic.

So, marketers who tell us that playing with listed online poker brands such as 888.com and Party Poker, are not doing a bad thing by suggesting your money may be safer. But what is poker all about if it is not about taking risks? The riskier a poker game is, the more rewarding it can be. But when you play with a tried and tested as well as consistently growing brand, this allows the best of all possible worlds. PokerStars is certainly the best of the online poker world.

The United States Department of Justice federal attorney - Preet Bharara - has accused FTP (Full Tilt Poker) of being a Global Ponzi Scheme, cheating online poker players out of millions of dollars, and indicted them on fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling charges. He has also said that they are linked to organized crime, that Executive officers used player funds to support their own lavish lifestyles; and have lied to the public regarding the security of funds deposited.

We all know that FTP has been unable to pay back players to the tune of $300 million. But according to court motions filed, two of the accounts seized by the DoJ on Black Friday are worth a total of nearly $300, million.

Chris Ferguson - founder member of the beleaguered online poker site has now taken a stand, and filed a number of motions with the Southern District of New York Courts - claiming that FTP associated company's have rights to these funds. One motion claims that Kolyma and Vantage has the rights to a sum of $98,276,540 in several bank accounts. While another claims that Pocket Kings Ltd. and Tiltware LLC as the defendants, has rights to funds in various bank accounts totaling $196,553,080. It looks pretty obvious to us, why FTP could not pay back members money?! Apparently there are also funds in 11 seized Irish Bank accounts, although no specific amount has been mentioned.

These documents support the filings submitted by Ray Bitar back in September, citing the same laws. The affidavit bears Fergusons signature and states:"As an authorized agent of claimant Filco Ltd., I Chris Fergusson, hereby verify that the foregoing facts are true and correct and made under penalty of perjury." So, he finally fighting back, up until this time; this online poker multi-millionaire and live poker player extraordinaire has been extremely tight lipped about the depth of his involvement.

Rank is the operating company for Mecca Bingo, both land bingo clubs and online; Blue Square is another one of their gambling operations with a land as well as online presence. It was recently Full House for this company, and we'll bet a penny to a pound that their CEO stood up and shouted B I N G O! The European Court of Justice has ruled in favour of their VAT claim. This matter has been continuing for rather a long time, and in essence it concerns the fact that Rank has been overpaying VAT for a specific type of bingo offering (mechanised cash bingo) as well as for certain other gaming machines. The claim was in an amount of £253.4 million including interest!

Now…how's that for hitting the jackpot?

This news rose Rank shares by approximately 10% which is great news for shareholders. The company made comment that the new ruling confirms findings of consecutive UK courts in regards to Bingo VAT claims. They are also considering the implications of this ruling in respect of an amusement machines claim – a claim which is peanuts in comparison, but still at £30.8 million plus interest, is not to be sneezed at.

The long-running dispute with HMRC, saw the tax and customs agency appeal to the European Court of Justice, after – as we said – more than one consecutive ruling by UK courts on behalf of Rank. The European court is in agreement with Rank's argument, but has reservations regarding the VAT claim for games machines. This is a complex legal position, but does come about after the ECJ issued a sequence of clarifications over VAT legalities for bingo and slots

Not only were rebates forced for Rank, Gala Coral, Whitbread, Top Ten Bingo and JD Wetherspoon has also all benefitted. However, in terms of the position for slots machines, HRMC is expected to attempt to rake-back over £100m in VAT rebates it has allegedly already paid to bingo halls and pub operators - under the guise of unfair tax treatment.