eCOGRA REACHES OUT TO MILLIONS OF ONLINE GAMERS WITH APPOINTMENT OF US AND UK PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCIES

NEW YORK and LONDON, November 14, 2005: eCOGRA the independent regulatory body of the online gaming industry, today announced its plans to reach out to online casino and poker players worldwide with an educational and awareness raising campaign for the eCOGRA “Play It Safe” Seal. The organization has appointed two top-tier public relations agencies – Lotus Public Relations in New York and Chameleon PR in London to undertake the global campaign.

“The appointment of Lotus Public Relations and Chameleon PR will enable us to increase our communications directly to online gamblers and educate

players about the advantages of playing on eCOGRA members’ sites,” said eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge. “Not only can they play safe in the knowledge that the games are fair, but in the rare case that a dispute might arise, players have a powerful independent intermediary to swiftly resolve their concerns. There are many responsible online gaming companies and the eCOGRA ‘Play It Safe’ Seal offers professional and amateur players a quick and easy way to identify them.”

The eCOGRA Seal is granted to online casinos and poker rooms that adopt eCOGRA’s Generally Accepted Practices, which include the most stringent and high efficiency standards of player protection, fair gaming and responsible conduct. Members are required to undergo a rigorous third party inspection, ongoing reviews and regular monitoring of all player-interactive aspects of their operations to ensure continued compliance. Software is tested through eCOGRA’s Total Gaming Transaction Review using software assurance procedures practiced by the world’s leading audit firms to ensure the integrity, reliability and continued confidentiality of its systems. To date, eCOGRA has awarded Seals to 56 member sites, all of which have been independently reviewed by the eCOGRA audit panel.

This comprehensive and creative PR campaign is designed to educate online poker and casino players of the value of the “Play it Safe” Seal through player surveys, intensive media outreach, editorial briefings and by-lined articles. In addition, the program will strengthen eCOGRA’s marketing and public relations capabilities with expert press kits, thought leadership positioning, member workshops and newsletters, so that both eCOGRA members and players benefit from the effort.