Gaming Council Announces Staffing Line-Up

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INTERACTIVE GAMING COUNCIL ANNOUNCES STAFFING LINE-UP

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 4 Newswire-AsiaNet/ -- The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC), the leading association representing the online gambling industry, announced two appointments to lead the Internet gaming industry through a new phase of expansion.

Sue Schneider, IGC Chairman, announced that their new Executive Director is Frederick (Rick) Smith. Smith is the Policy and Research Officer, Office of the Executive Director, serving with the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation in Australia and is a former New Zealand gaming regulator. Smith will start on March 1, 2000 after relocation to Vancouver, B.C., the IGC headquarters.

"Rick Smith has been instrumental in the development and implementation of an international regulatory model for the online gaming industry. His knowledge and experience is an important addition toward the evolution of the IGC," Schneider said.

Keith Furlong, a former Public Information Officer and Legislative Liaison for the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) also joined the IGC effective January 1, 2000. During his tenure at the DGE, Furlong was the lead media spokesman for the Department of Law & Public Safety on casino-related matters. Furlong will assist the Executive Director in launching IGC's Seal of Approval program (see http://www.igcouncil.org ).

Schneider specifically commented on the importance of the Seal of Approval program. "It has been a long-standing goal of this organization to implement a system whereby consumers can determine reputable Internet gaming sites that adhere to an industry code. This program, which will award a Seal of Approval posted on qualifying member-sites, is modeled after the Better Business Bureau program which has proven useful to consumers."

The Seal of Approval program is industry-specific and will include a dispute resolution mechanism. She said, "It is not our intent to usurp the role of the 50+ governments around the world which sanction Internet gaming, but rather to provide an information resource and problem resolution mechanism to enhance consumer confidence."

About the IGC

The Interactive Gaming Council is a non-profit association of over 80 companies around the world, representing operators which generate approximately 70% of the industry revenues. The IGC's mission is to: provide a forum to address issues and advance common interests in the global interactive gaming industry; establish fair and responsible trade guidelines and practices that enhance consumer confidence in interactive gaming products and services, and serve as the industry's public policy advocate and information clearinghouse.

ENDS....

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