IGC and GamCare applaud Ethoca extending its service to address issues related to excessive gambling

Dublin, Ireland – June 19, 2007 - Ethoca Limited (Ethoca), the pioneer in data-sharing fraud management for internet commerce is extending its service to assist online gaming providers in preventing access to their offerings by individuals who have requested to be excluded from certain types of gaming. 
 
Internet gambling is different from land-based gambling, in that players are required to register with a provider or login prior to being allowed to play.  This makes the potential of a self-exclusion tool in the online gaming world very powerful.  With Ethoca’s unique self-exclusion offering, once consent is provided and an individual self-excludes, this information is available to all gaming providers signed up to the service.  Individuals who have self-excluded would be prevented from accessing gaming services whether signing up for the first time or returning to play with an existing account. 

 “All industry participants would have to agree that working together to help persons negatively affected by excessive gambling is much more effective and powerful than trying to do so in isolation.   Promoting responsible gaming is an absolute priority for the IGC and supporting the implementation of an industry-wide self-exclusion feature is common sense.  An innovation such as this shows that many of the same issues faced by the gambling industry as a whole are better dealt with through the use of technology and in the online world.” said John FitzGerald, Chief Executive of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC).  “At the IGC we have stated that we will work alongside technology partners to provide our membership with tools that ensure a safe, secure environment for players everywhere and we look forward to being involved in this initiative.” 

“The majority of people engage in online gaming activities for the entertainment value and do so responsibly.  Unfortunately, a small percentage of players cannot keep gaming in its appropriate place and suffer adverse effects on account of it,” said Geoffrey Godbold OBE, Chief Executive Officer, GamCare.  “Problem gambling is an industry-wide issue and identifying players that are seeking help through shared self-exclusion data is an effective way for the industry to work together to keep these gamblers from gaming.  We congratulate Ethoca for providing socially responsible solutions for the industry and look forward to continuing to work with them.”
 
 “Industry groups and leading online gaming operators are looking for responsible and effective ways to help problem gamblers exclude themselves from accessing online gaming sites and Ethoca is in a position to help,” said Ethoca President and CEO Andre Edelbrock, “With the addition of self-exclusion capabilities and by continuing to work closely with support groups, operators and the entire gaming industry, Ethoca can effectively assist problem gamblers in their efforts to avoid harmful gaming. We encourage all online gaming participants to join us in this effort.”

About Ethoca Limited (www.ethoca.com)

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with offices in Toronto, Canada, Ethoca enables businesses operating in any “customer-not-present” environment (i.e., business by internet, phone, fax or mail) to make informed decisions about their customers through sharing data in a way that is efficient, effective and ethical.  Businesses submit transactional data to Ethoca and in return receive summary history and analysis based on the collective data of Ethoca’s clients. The data received can then be used to gauge the fraud-risk associated with any given transaction.  Ethoca’s clients maximize their profits by finding the optimal balance between allowed transactions, fraud-risk levels, and fraud management costs. Ethoca’s use of independent third-party business process and data integrity audits ensures that the privacy and security of data is maintained.

About the IGC (igcouncil.org)  

Formed in 1996, the IGC is the leading trade association for the international interactive gaming industry with its membership operating or supplying services to the most reputable interactive sites on the World Wide Web. Based in Canada, the IGC champions initiatives that address the multi-various challenges and opportunities facing the internet gaming industry in order to ensure an environment of fair and responsible gaming.

About GamCare (www.gamcare.org.uk)

GamCare takes a non-judgmental approach on gambling. We do not wish to restrict the choices or opportunities for anyone to operate or engage in gambling opportunities that are available legally and operated responsibly. GamCare, a registered charity, has become the leading authority on the provision of information, advice and practical help in addressing the social impact of gambling. GamCare strives to develop strategies that will:
- Improve the understanding of the social impact of gambling
- Promote a responsible approach to gambling
- Address the needs of those adversely affected by a gambling dependency