Poker En Ligne Released by: Jonathan Kraus Web Site: http://www.pokeren-ligne.be eCOGRA (e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) launches a new stamp of approval Email: links@prostoprom.com Keywords: eCOGRA, online, gambling Update Date: 5/28/2007 3:08:15 AM Hits: 145 Descrption:  Poker En Ligne's industry watch reports: eCOGRA (e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) launches a new stamp of approval to gambling websites, which, they claim, will help distinguish legitimate gambling sites from sites with deceitful software. Since eCOGRA are a business-oriented forum, this step raises some questions among the online gambling community, whether their efforts are helping to standardize online gambling, or aimed to promote the interests of each of the respective companies. New online casino operators stand to pay dearly for eCOGRA's compliance seal. The recent rise in online gambling activity in Europe has prompted casino operators to quickly create gambling sites which use fraudulent software, leading to many complaints from players who've lost their money on said sites. The operation of the casinos from outside the country protects the owners from legal prosecution. After the tough line against betting taken by France and Belgium, the gambling website owners who make up eCOGRA stand to lose the most from this phenomenon, both due to their players fleeing to smaller operators, and the deterring effect of online gaming fraud. " They removed one casinos' seal and kept another for the exact same infraction. How can this be? Because the casino they did not remove is the same casino that funded the organization. To say they are independent is just amazing to me. " The eCOGRA members have recently stepped up their efforts to standardize online gaming sites, trying to make their "compliance seal" a recognized icon to operators who have paid for independent supervision over their gambling software, and offering online fairness testing for gambling site operators.