Novamedia European Gaming & Lottery Files
Romania
by Rob
van der Gaast
Internet Casino operator -
Danube Casino
(www.danubecasino.com)
Nicolae Sfetcu started some years ago with
its own business on Internet, first as a
freelancer specialized in web design, translation
and Internet marketing and, beginning
with last year, he set up his own
company, Multimedia SRL. The internet
maverick and this year’s award winner of
the prestigious ‘Business Initiative Directions,
WQC International Star Award, Gold
Category Paris 2003’ tells his story in how
he started his internet imperium and his
internet casino www.danubecasino.com:
“The beginning of the history of the Danube
Casino can be located long time ago, and it
is quite interesting, I think. When I was a
student, about twenty years ago, I started to
like two games: poker, and bridge. They
were very pleasant days those days. During
those years I became one of the best specialists
in poker and bridge; I have never
considered that poker, as well as bridge, are
games, because in games you need luck, but
for bridge or poker the luck plays a secondary
role. I can write many books about the
rituals of the nights spent playing these
games, with many spectators behind us and
that ended every time with a party organized
by the winner. It was then when I
started not to sleep the nights, and I kept
this habit till our days, even if, for different
reasons.”
“In those years I became one of the first
presidents of a bridge club in Romania, but
after I graduated from college I finished
playing games, too.”
“I specialized in Internet business services.
So, helped by my previous experience
in Internet marketing, and being advantaged
by the fact that I know very well the
psychology of the gamblers, I had some
successful marketing campaign for online
casinos and affiliates that want to promote
their own sponsored links through
their websites or advertisements in my
own network. I have to tell you that I
developed, in time, one of the most complex
Romanian integrated network of
Internet resources for advertising and
dissemination of information, named
Teleactivities Network, that includes
thousands of websites, web forums,
directories and links, mailing lists and
newsletters, e-zines, webrings, a.s.o. After
such a marketing campaign, it was one of
my customer that gave me the idea to
imply more directly in the online gambling
worlds. I already had my own gambling
portal, www.online-casinos.ro. So I
thought of starting my own online casino
Danube Casino. Why this name? Because
all my life I enjoyed the neighborhood of
Danube and its beautiful landscapes. You
can consider this name as an act of fealty
for this river (I dedicated it a whole
section in my website for the county
where I live, Mehedinti”.
The first Romanian online casino was
launched on June 25th, 2003. Danube
Casino has as partner Windows Casino, one
of the top 10 online casinos in the world,
legally licensed and fully insured, certified
by Safe Bet and approved by Electronic
Gaming Commission. Windows Casino is
the winner of numerous international
prizes, including Online Gaming Awards
2002, for: Best Video Poker, Best Blackjack,
Fairest Casino, Best Promotions, Best
Online Casino.
Danube Casino offers over 125 different
games (roulette, blackjack, poker, slots,
video poker, baccarat, craps, etc.), according
to the European and American standards.
The gamblers have the possibility, besides
the regular prizes, to obtain extra prizes,
too, consisting in a trip to Monte Carlo, a
brand new Ferrari, or other promotional
materials.
In order to be able to play online, first, a
deposit in the casino count has to be made.
All transactions are in USD. Payments can
be made either by credit cards, or through
specialized services for the online processing
of the money (NETeller, Firepay,
Stormpay, Western Union, etc.).
The gamblers that reach the Danube Casino
site have the possibility to be informed on
the best game ways and strategies, but also
learn the rules of the games by appealing to
the casino games guides. Multimedia SRL
and Windows Casino assure the technical
support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are specific Romanian laws for
gambling, however none makes special
references to online gambling.
Interactive Gaming News
Romania's First Online Casino
by Rob van der Gaast
Romania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, entered the Internet gambling space June 25 with the launch of Danube Casino, the nation's first online casino.
The site is the creation of Nicolae Sfetcu, the maverick owner of Multimedia SRL and this year's winner of the prestigious Business Initiative Directions, WQC International Star Award (Gold Category Paris 2003), who was predestined to become the owner of an Internet casino.
Sfetcu developed an affinity for poker and bridge around 20 years ago as a student and became a master at both games. I have never considered that poker, as well as bridge, are games, because in games you need luck," he explained. "For bridge or poker, the luck plays a secondary role."
He became one of the first presidents of a bridge club in Romania. After graduating from college, he specialized in Internet business services.
"Helped by my previous experience in Internet marketing, and being advantaged by the fact that I know very well the psychology of the gamblers, I had some successful marketing campaign for online casinos and affiliates which wanted to promote their own sponsored links through their Web sites or advertisements in my own network," Sfetu said.
That network is the Teleactivities Network, which Sfetu says is one of the most complex Romanian integrated network of Internet resources for advertising and dissemination of information. It includes thousands of Web sites, forums, directories, mailing lists, newsletters, e-zines, Web rings and so on.
Within that network was the gambling portal Online-casino.ro, Sfetu's first venture in the gambling space. A customer suggested that he try operating an online casino, and he went on from there to launch Danube Casino.
Sfetu says he's operating legally in Romania because, as he puts it, "There are specific Romanian laws for gambling, however, none makes special references to online gambling. So, I could start without any problem."
Danube Casino is operated through a partnership with Windows Casino, a licensed, insured site that's certified by Safe Bet and approved by the Electronic Gaming Commission.
The new Romanian site offers over 125 different games based on European and American standards. Gamblers can win money as well as special prizes, such as a trip to Monte Carlo or a brand new Ferrari.
The site also features guides explaining game rules and offering strategy tips as well as 24/7 tech support through Multimedia SRL and Windows Casino
All transactions are in U.S. dollar. Payments can be made either by credit cards or through specialized services for the online processing of the money (NETeller, Firepay, Stormpay, Western Union, etc.).
About the Author
Rob van der Gaast has a background in sports journalism, sports marketing, the buying and selling of TV sports rights, and developing creative TV program ideas. After contriving a complete new sports betting concept that is, according him, "an absolute 'Topscorer' in the sports betting look-a-like industry, which is at the end of its life cycle," he went back to his journalistic roots. Now he is a well known gambling research analyst, who contributes to LotteryInsider, Interactive Gaming News, Internet Gambling Report and the (European) Lottery Files.
Full article
Multimedia SRL
Tel./Fax: 0252-314063
Mobil: 0745-526896
E-mail:
office@multimedia.com.ro
Website:
http://www.multimedia.com.ro
PRESS
RELEASE
The
first Romanian online casino
On the
25th June 2003 the first Romanian online casino was launched, Danube
Casino,
http://www.danubecasino.com.
Danube
Casino has as partner Windows Casino, one of the top 10 online casinos
in the world, legally licensed and fully insured, certified by Safe
Bet and approved by Electronic Gaming Commission. Windows Casino is
the winner of numerous international prizes, including Online Gaming
Awards 2002, for: Best Video Poker, Best Blackjack, Fairest Casino,
Best Promotions, Best Online Casino.
Danube
Casino offers over 125 different games (roulette, blackjack, poker,
slots, video poker, baccarat, craps, etc), according to the European
and American standards. The gamblers have the possibility, besides the
regular prizes, to obtain extra prizes, too, consisting in a trip to
Monte Carlo, a brand new Ferrari, or other promotional materials.
In
order to be able to play online, first, a deposit in the casino count
has to be made. All transactions are in USD. Payments can be made
either by credit cards, or through specialized services for the online
processing of the money (NETeller, Firepay, Stormpay, Western Union,
etc.).
The
gamblers that reach the Danube Casino site have the possibility to be
informed on the best game ways and strategies, but also learn the
rules of the games by appealing to the casino games guides. Multimedia
SRL and Windows Casino assure the technical support 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
About Multimedia SRL:
MultiMedia
is a company managed
and staffed by business and information technology professionals
combining a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and talents
Multimedia SRL was awarded this year with the WQC International
Star Award, Gold Category Paris 2003 prize by Business Initiative
Directions.
The main activity of the firm consists of Internet services, meaning:
Business services (Internet marketing, web design, web hosting,
translation, multimedia and desktop publishing, word processing,
secretarial, bookkeeping, consulting), IT&C solutions (hardware,
software, computer networks, training), virtual stores and e-commerce.
27.06.2003
Nicolae Sfetcu
Administrator
Multimedia SRL
(Our Note: ALFA Ind Electronics
is part of MultiMedia SRL)
BID BUSINESS INITIATIVE DIRECTIONS
General Yagiie, 11 - 28020, Madrid, Spain - Tel. + 34 915 97 33 69* -
Fax, +34 915 55 56 02
Madrid, March 21, 2003
ALFA IND. ELECTRONICS
Attn. General Manager.
84 Crisan Street, BI.S1 Sc.1 Ap.5
RO-1500 DROBETA TURNU SEVERIN, MEHEDINTI
ROMANIA
Dear Sir:
The International Selection
Committee of B.I.D., Business Initiative Directions, made up of a
group of companies and prestigious professionals has decided this
year, during the 20th Internationa! World Quality Commitment (WQC)
Convention in Europe, to present the WQC International Star Award in.
the Gold category Paris 2003 to ALFA IND. ELECTRONICS.
..........
Sincerely, A
Jose E. Prieto President