Microgaming announces the launch of a revolutionary new technology for poker software.

Babelfish, named after the fictional creature which performed universal translation, is a brand-new API which allows any software developer to create poker client software and run it securely on the MPN. Operators can develop software in any programming language, and using the Babelfish API, join in the MPN’s liquidity pool, giving them access to all of the network’s cash games and tournaments (both real money and play money).

"Babelfish is definitely a game changer for poker," comments Alex Scott, Head of Poker at Microgaming. "It allows operators to customise their poker software to a higher degree than has ever been possible before, without having to go standalone. Furthermore, it allows them to do this without having to worry about expensive hosting costs, random number generators, or any of the other complexities that come with developing server software.

"Babelfish also has many other advantages. For example, operators can build software for almost any conceivable device – from specific mobile devices, to games consoles, to smart TVs. If you were so inclined, you could even build poker software for a smartwatch, a connected fridge or an in-car entertainment system. The only limit is your imagination."

Operators can tailor their bespoke client as much as they wish in order to customise the software to the specific market they are targeting; any language can be supported.

The first operator to make use of Babelfish, a well-known major operator in the poker marketplace, will be going live imminently using a client that they have designed and built from scratch. This operator’s completely custom-built client is carefully tailored to meet the needs of their players. The new operator will be migrating all of their players to the MPN, offering a mix of private and shared-liquidity games, providing mutual benefits for both the operator and the network.

"With this new operator on board, our network will grow significantly. But this is not the only exciting news that the MPN has for 2015", continued Alex Scott. "This year we want to be at the pinnacle of the poker industry – this is just the first step!"

The first operator to go live with Babelfish will be announced in the coming weeks.

Visit the Microgaming team at ICE Totally Gaming, 3rd – 5th February 2015 at ExCeL, London, stand N5-220.

The mGaming Awards, due to be held on the evening of the 25th of April at the closing of the mGaming Summit, have today announced an illustrious sponsor for the evening’s festivities. Microgaming is the largest software and technology provider for the online gaming market with over 15 years experience in the industry. Their sponsorship of the inaugural award ceremony will ensure delegates to the summit will enjoy a fruitful and note-worthy evening. The short list for the awards has been announced and can be found in full on www.mGamingSummit.com/mgaming_awards.

"We are delighted to support the mGaming Summit," says Neill Whyte, Head of Product Channels at Microgaming. "We have been at the forefront of mobile technology within the e-gaming industry for a number of years, and continue to stay ahead of the game. This event allows us to be ideally placed to meet and greet existing operators, and to discuss the key issues which are driving mobile gaming. We are looking forward to the conference and to our sponsorship of the evening drinks and awards."

The mGaming Awards are tied in to the mGaming summit, a one day event dedicated to the online mobile gambling market – a growing and profitable sector. Created by the leading information providers in each specific sector, iGaming Business (the business of online gambling) and WorldTelemedia (the mobile sector), this event will be bringing together brands, marketing agencies, rights holders, operators, federations, mobile suppliers, payment & billing services. The event is being held in London UK on the 25th of April 2012. More information can be found on www.mGamingSummit.com.

Leading interactive gaming software and services provider, GTECH G2, has signed a partnership with Xorti, to launch two exciting new gaming sites; Pokerleaders and SpinWinners.

GTECH G2 will partner with Xorti; providing the company with its market leading Poker and Instant Casino products. Xorti will also benefit from the GTECH G2 Gaming Management System (GMS). GMS is the only truly open platform that offers a seamless interface giving Xorti an unrivalled view of the player.

The partnership also includes the provision of GTECH G2’s Gaming Services. GTECH G2 provides a range of gaming services to aid the successful deployment and operation of its partner’s portals. GTECH G2 will provide Xorti with fully managed CRM services including its market leading VIP Marketing Management Programme.

William Scott, Vice President of GTECH G2 said, “It’s very exciting for GTECH G2 to be involved with the launch and creation of two new brands in the iGaming sphere. We are certain that both the Pokerleaders and SpinWinners sites will benefit from our ever expanding games portfolio.”

Olivier DOUCE, Director, of Xorti said, “As a company we are passionate about iGaming and wanted to invest in the very best technology and services. GTECH G2 has provided us with the perfect partnership for our entry into the market.”

The London-based player protection and standards body eCOGRA has undergone a change in ownership following a successful management buy-out (MBO) initiative led by chief executive Andrew Beveridge.

The organisation announced this week that the original Founding Members of eCOGRA, three major and competing online gambling groups, had agreed to the change. In future the new ownership structure of eCOGRA would not include software or other service providers or operators enabling it to be truly independent in the discharge of its audit, advisory, compliance and seal awarding activities.

The Founding Members note that the company had established itself as a credible and respected industry player with major business connections since its launch in 2003, and that it is now appropriate that the founding ties be severed, allowing eCOGRA to make its own way in the world of online gambling.

Staffed by IT, responsible gambling and audit specialists, eCOGRA offers a wide range of professional business services to internet gambling companies, and enjoys business relationships with major trade associations and several international licensing jurisdictions.

The company’s Safe and Fair seal of accreditation has become a reliable indicator of operators committed to high standards of commercial conduct, customer respect and fair gaming, and is held by 150 websites, belonging to some of the most successful tier one companies in the industry.

"The industry is maturing, and eCOGRA must be part of that evolving process," Beveridge said this week. "The trend toward national or state regulatory regimes around the world is just one of the areas in which our professional services are increasingly in demand by companies and jurisdictions committed to ensuring that they are well prepared in all respects to meet the highest international standards."

Beveridge revealed that eCOGRA’s services and operational structure would remain largely unchanged.

"We will continue to offer unbiased player dispute mediation through our Fair Gaming Advocate, and our TGTR outcomes-based software monitoring system is proving increasingly popular with non-accredited entities and will if anything be expanded," he said.

"Our policy of independently assessing operators for the award of the Safe and Fair seal, and subsequent review and monitoring activity, will remain in place, and the provision of professional business services and advisory consulting remains a key element in our commercial offering and will become an increasing important part of the services offered.

"Importantly, our strong commitment to responsible gambling will continue, specifically in our operator training initiatives and the requirements enshrined in our standards."

"Going forward eCOGRA intends to become a major force in helping shape new gaming regulations, offering specialised advice and assistance to existing and emerging jurisdictions and be at the forefront of establishing industry standards".

The MBO has scored an important coup in bringing eCOGRA’s former Independent Directors onto the new Board.

"Our chairman will be Michael Hirst OBE, supported by a directorate that includes Bill Henbrey, Bill Galston OBE, Frank Catania and myself," said Beveridge, adding that biographies were available on the eCOGRA website at http://www.ecogra.org

"We are very fortunate that these highly experienced and respected figures in the industry will continue to make their considerable knowledge and business expertise available to us," he said.

Michael Hirst said that the original mandate of the eCOGRA Independent Directors had been to continually improve the credibility of the industry, ensure players were properly protected and develop appropriate standards and regulations.

"Those basic principles will remain our goal in addition to increased competitive commercial activity," he said.

Live dealer provider Evolution Gaming, which has offices in London, Malta and Stockholm and high tech Internet video-streaming studio facilities in Latvia, has become one of the first in its sector to achieve the high standards required for the eCOGRA Certified Live Dealer Seal.

The company is an acknowledged leader in its sector, and counts many major European Internet gambling operators among its clients, including 888, Bet-At-Home, Expekt, Gala Coral Group, Ladbrokes, PaddyPower, Party Gaming and Unibet.

Explaining the significance of the Certified Live Dealer Seal, eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge said this week that the relevant eGAP or international best practice standards required had been specifically designed for the distinct nature of live dealer operations, in which live games are streamed over the Internet in real time from casino studio environments managed by pitbosses and staffed by croupiers.

"The genre differs from the more common and purely software-powered online casino concept in that it features live staff using real gambling devices and tables," said Beveridge. "This requires a very specific set of operating standards and requirements to ensure absolutely fair, safe and independent gaming in which both hardware and software systems are reviewed.

"Along with our usual tests for problem gambling and dispute facilities, we also look at anti-money laundering systems, staff training, operator probity, player information security, staff access to sensitive areas, the retention of video recordings of all sessions, collusion controls and overall game statistical performance on the roulette, baccarat and blackjack games offered."

Chartered Accountant Gareth Muirhead, who spent several days in Riga, Latvia conducting the review, said that his compliance plan had included the examination of both return-to-player and RNG elements, and ensuring that eCOGRA’s Total Gaming Transaction Review system was securely in place, continuously monitoring all gaming activity.

"Evolution Gaming operates a very tight ship, and the cooperation of chief operating officer Svante Liljevall and the technical and operational staff in Riga was outstanding," Muirhead wrote in his report to the Independent Directors controlling the issue of eCOGRA seals.

Congratulating the management and staff in Riga on achieving the eCOGRA accreditation, Evolution Gaming chief executive officer Jens von Bahr said: "As a company we have always tried to lead rather than follow, and I am delighted that you have been successful in satisfying a tough but very practical set of international best practice standards.

"This can only boost our confidence in the commercial arena, knowing we are among the first to successfully put our technology, systems and people to this type of rigorous test."