FEATURE MOBILE
[IN BRIEF ]
When advertising their mobile products, what images do egaming operators normally use? Placing a bet at the pub? Winning a hand of poker when watching TV? How about a spin of the roulette wheel while sat on the toilet? Well, for 10% of Betfair customers, that has become a reality over the course of the last 12 months. Clearly, few are worried about the omens of playing games of chance while in such a precarious spot. It gives a whole new meaning to the term “squeaky bum time”.
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Bum deal
doing (note how they can’t spell the word “visiting”) and holler how high: “Facebook: Thanks for your email. I'm in California visting the mothership so there will be a delay in my response. If urgent please text/call on...”
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Parental advisory
[Son] Ah thanks dad. Yep, I’m just going to log on and use your credit card to buy mummy a lovely birthday card so we can give it to her next week and then I’ll leave it on the side here. Okay? [Dad] Right you are, son. I trust you. [Son] Yeah, the one with the flowers on it but inside there’s a picture of her next to Sean Bean dressed as Boromir, the last ruling Steward of Gondor from Lord of the Rings. She loves him doesn’t she? More than you I reckon dad. [Sniggers] [Sniggers become louder as teenager concocts plan to use credit card to enter his account details into a “social” casino on a popular social network] [Typing heard] [Takes a few seconds to log in, a few more to lose all his chips but far less to purchase more virtual credits to boost his balance]
Location, location, location
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lots on Facebook are beginning to generate some serious cash and are today more profitable per average user than other games on Facebook, hence the reason any developer worth their salt is, as we speak, cracking more code than Bletchley Park in its heyday. The issue is, however, in a completely unregulated environment, just how much is being spent by minors? Under the Freedom of Information Act, we’ve asked the Gambling Commission, but have yet to receive an answer [keep waiting – Ed]. In the meantime, however, it seems some people have taken it upon themselves to undertake some homemade detective work... by hiring their children [doesn’t that kind of defeat the object? Ed] One UK City analyst, wellknown for his love of one of the industry’s biggest suppliers, recently said in a note: “A 15-year-old, co-opted to the Leisure Team, was able to buy coins. Having
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set up a UK iTunes Store account with correct age and address information, they entered their own Visa debit card details into their iTunes account and were able to buy “coins” within Zynga Slots through iTunes – simply by confirming their iTunes password.” A great note and staggering work worthy of a slot on BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog, alongside a segment on Korean cordless steam irons that explode when switched to a “cotton” setting, but equally one where an underage child has been used as a guinea pi ?8?$?YZ] Y H? \????\?[?[?H?? ??Y[??\??Y[?8?$? ? ??H ]\?]H???Z[??X?H ??\??][? ?[?[?^K [?H?[? ?\Y H??H[ [?\?? [?\? \?[? ??&H[?^H[?[? [??Y?[]Y ?X?? ] ?Y?\?\? ??[] ? ?? X? ?8?'?[X?[???'K?H? H\??YH?Z[?????\??K ] H[?[ \?8?&\? \? ?X??X? ?\?\?\?]Y? \????] ?Y? ?Y? ??[?\??Y?H?[?\??&] ?\?H ?]\ [?? ?[? [?\????? ?[? ? [?H ???YH?X?? ? H??X?H ???[??X?[]?]??]?[??Y?\??[ X? X[ H ?H???? ?]\ [??[??Y?\??[??X?? \?? ?Y?Y\?[? [?x?&[ \?X[ H;? [? [?\??[??X??[? H??X?H ?XY H ??X?H H]\?X?H\ ????[H?X?X?????Y ?? H?\?[? ]?HHY??\?[? ?^H??Z[?? ?[[[?Y???H \?Y? ?[?[?]]?X]Y[XZ[ ?\???H ? ??YH? Z\? ?[?[?^X????\???\?Y ] ?[? H?Y ?] H??? ?[? ? [?H?X??] H ?[?? [?H?\? ?? ?] [?x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x?&\??Y\??XX? ??]?\? ?\?]8?&\??\? ?^K\? ?X?[???H??????\? ??^ YX\???????????Y?XY?^?[?K???B??