The International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA) said it has appointed John English as chairman and Earle Hall as vice chairman with the organization’s focus to pivot to online gaming and sports betting this year.

John English, CEO of Webe Gaming and partner with Global Market Advisors, discusses the rise of sports betting and online gaming and how Covid-19 has acted as a catalyst for widespread online acceptance in the U.S. He also discusses prospects in Asia and welcomes positive noises from India about the possibility of legal sports betting.

It may not be until the end of this decade that the Chinese zodiac ushers in its next Year of the Rooster, but they’ve gotten started early in the Philippines with a near-unanimous vote to tax the popular online cockfighting industry as a measure to help fill public coffers. We also crane our necks to take note of Yokohama city’s effort to publish a Facebook page to promote its IR initiative, an uphill battle against widespread public disapproval of the initiative. As today is our final Friday of the year for full Asian gaming industry coverage, we also feature our last Face To Face video interview, talking with WEBE Gaming founder John English about the prospects for the sports betting industry. And the last thing we’d like to crow about is our final wrap up of the year presented by AGB Managing Editor Sharon Singleton.

Last week, we lifted the veil on what the future holds for web interaction, digital content consumption, e-commerce, and the final frontier between the real and digital world - the metaverse.

2020 was the year that changed the game. Locked in their homes hoping for the pandemic to blow over, consumers spent more time and money on mobile phones and apps than ever before.

Betting enthusiasts were left high and dry after the majority of the world’s traditional sports tournaments and leagues canceled their 2020 seasons, left a sizable vacuum in their wake. 

Roulette vs. Baccarat, electronic table games and the rise of AI. Retired casino cheat Richard Marcus looks at various vulnerabilities and how to mitigate them, noting that training and education can trump both technology and psychology.

Luxury gaming manufacturer, Interblock, announced that Marco Herrera has been appointed as the new president for EMEA.