eCogra, the  independent player protection and standards body which has been in operation in the online casino arena since 2004 recently released their statistics for the 2010 year on disputes involving online gambling sites and the results look promising given the millions of online players playing at casinos across the globe.

According to the numbers, a total of 846 disputes were submitted to the organisation in 2010, a 10% increase from 2009.  67 of these involved casinos that were not accredited by eCogra and were therefore outside of the body’s authority.  125 disputes were found to be invalid due to fraudulent claims, contained non-specific information, and were abusive or anonymous in nature.  The remaining valid claims and disputes amounted to 654 in total and concerned predominantly bonus issues (25 percent), cash-in issues (44 percent) and locked accounts (19 percent).  12 percent were categorized as ‘other’ and involved responsible gambling concerns, software fairness questions and spamming allegations. 

The report also revealed that a fraudulent player syndicate which had submitted complaints to the FGA in order to manipulate casino bonuses had been uncovered after a painstaking investigation which lead to participants in the scam being located and blocked from eCogra accredited casinos.

The overall finding of the report was that the level of disputes per eCogra accredited casinos was remarkably low considering the volumes of business transacted, with a typical accredited casino delivering an average of only 0.38 disputes per month throughout the 2010 year.

So to make sure that you have a good casino experience every time you play, visit an eCogra certified casino like Roxy Palace today.

As 89 year old casino magnate Stanley Ho’s condition continues to deteriorate, his three “wives” and 16 children fight to take control of his casino fortune and be the next to head up the family-run empire in Macau, Southern China.

According to Forbes Magazine, Ho’s personal wealth is estimated at $3.1 billion, which is reportedly the largest in Macau’s gambling industry. Ho not only holds a monopoly on Macau’s casinos, many of these are listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange and vie against Las Vegas casino and resort giants such as the Sands Corp and MGM resorts.

Ho’s business enjoyed a phenomenal rise thanks to his now deceased first wife, Clementina Leitao whose father was a prominent lawyer in Macau with connections to Portugal and Macau high society that ultimately assisted Ho to win his casino monopoly. Ho then married Lucina Laam and fathered children with two other women, Ina Chan and Angela Leong whom he refers to as “wives” although he is not married to either of them.

Now the billionaire is facing a public feud as the various branches of his family vie for control of his casinos, shares and businesses that run ferries, hotels, department stores, Macau’s airport as well as horse and dog racing tracks. In a statement made on Hong Kong Television from his wheelchair which was wheeled out by his third wife Ina Chan, Ho stated that the matter had been resolved but Ho’s lawyer reported that the casino magnate was pressured into the statement and intends to divide his estate equally. A suit has subsequently been filed to reclaim his assets, which is sure to engage Ho’s and the various family members involved in a protracted legal struggle.

According to reports, this type of family feud and competing claims over fortunes has become one of the greatest dilemma’s facing aging Hong Kong tycoons who have more than one wife or concubine. The question remains how long these dynasties which should be a legacy for generations will continue to exist once they are split up amongst family members.